Concluding Call and Billy Lee (left) with Uncanny© Photo Healy Racing
Bill Lee completed a Navan double today as he cannily steered Concluding Call (11/4) to land the Racing Again May 18th Fillies & Mares Maiden for owner/breeder Francois Garavaglia-Drion and trainer Willie McCreery.
Concluding Call had finished behind rival Uncanny (4/11 favourite) 17 days ago at the Curragh with Lee today opting for a 'one go' attack against the front-runner, as the pair quickened to lead close home, scoring by a length-and-a-half.
It was a first Irish win for Garavaglia-Drion whose late father Ghislain Drion was manager of the Aga Khan's Irish studs and, in 1983, took the initial phone call from groom Jim Fitzgerald to say that Shergar had been kidnapped.
Delighted McCreery today reported “I thought the favourite was always going to go on, because she had come home late the last day and was drawn one today. I told Billy to follow her, get her to relax and if we could have one go, to try and rob it - and that's what we did.
“But in fairness she went away at the line. She tried hard, is very honest and Billy thought she loved that bit-better ground. She's a lovely big filly and is a grand filly. Francois is a breeder so we'll try and do something black-type wise for her.”
Concluding Call is a half-sister to two stakes performers including Group 3-placed Missed Call.
Quotes from Gary Carson
