Bill Lee © Photo Healy Racing
Linger For Longer has been a long time knocking on the door and it finally opened in the the first division of the 47-65 handicap over six furlongs as she provided Bill Lee with his fourth winner of the evening.
Placed in four of her six previous outings this term, the daughter of Fulbright got in as second reserve and raced close to the pace throughout towards the near side. Ridden to lead inside the final furlong, the 10/1 chance battled on well to hold the challenge of last year's winner Samrogue by half a length.
After A Lilac Rolla Gabriella's Spirit and Vain Gloria Lee's four-timer of winning fillies paid out at odds of 1206/1.
The Limerick man's second four-timer of his career moved him level with Ryan Moore and Colin Keane on 40 winners for the season with Gary Carroll on 39.
Austin Leahy, who trains the winner for the Irish Equine Syndicate, said: "She was second reserve and was meant to run tomorrow but I got a phone call at 10.57am (three minutes before the deadline) to say there were two non-runners.
"Billy Lee was the obvious rider as his horse didn't run and instead of going two-and-a-half hours to Gowran Park, it only took half-an-hour travelling here!
"It has been a great day as Susan's 11 year old daughter Lucia (Keane, granddaughter) won an international show-jumping competition at Chepstow today, beating teams from England and Scotland."
Quotes from Tom Weekes
