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- Juja Kibo another for in-form Lee
Michael Graham
Juja Kibo another for in-form Lee
Juja Kibo gets there under Billy Lee
© Photo Healy Racing
Richard O'Brien's Juja Kibo (16/1) put in a power-packed finish for Billy Lee to grab the spoils in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over the extended one-mile one-furlong trip in Ballinrobe.
Lee switched the Belardo gelding to the inner in sixth inside the final furlong and the pair availed of a lovely seam to quicken up well in third 150 yards out.
They swept home to win a shade cosily by a head from Mythical Rock (25/1) with Radar Ahead another length and a-half away in third at 12/1.
Lee said: "He'd a nice run in Gowran where the race developed a bit away from him down the centre. The ground was a bit quicker there, but it's lovely good ground here this evening.
"He's a fine big horse with plenty of size and scope who was a bit green with me early on, but came home well. I hadn't much room coming off the final bend and I felt he would have been an unlucky loser if he hadn't got there.
"He had four or five lengths to make up, so obviously he has a little bit of ability and is a nice horse going forward."
This was Lee's seventh winner since Leaopardstown last Thursday.
Additional reporting by Mark Nunan