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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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Michael Graham
Lee fires in double through Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost, near side, grabs Billie Frechette
© Photo Healy Racing
Billy Lee moved on to 89 winners this season when he doubled up at Roscommon aboard Paradise Lost for Charles O'Brien in the concluding handicap on the card.
The 3/1 favourite really responded to his urgings to get motoring on the outer a furlong and a-half down.
The momentum carried the pair right into contention inside the final furlong and they came to collar Billie Frechette racing into the closing 100 yards.
The 3/1 favourite, in first-time cheekpieces, saw it out by half a length from the 12/1 runner-up. King Of The Bronx (13/2) was another two and a-half lengths back in third.
Lee said: “Nothing went to plan. I wanted to be a lot more forward, but he was very slowly away and slow into stride.
“It took me a long time to get to grips with the race, even halfway down around the bottom I thought I had a lot of ground to make up.
“They've gone a good gallop and I was just working my way into it. Noel Meade's horse (Billie Frechette) actually came from behind me and went by me and I thought he was gone on me.
“My lad stays well and when Noel's horse just levelled off a bit he was getting going. Once he got on to the back of him he found more, he won cosy at the line.
“His best run was in Tipperary and I thought he ran well that day. He ran into a horse that that won a few after as well. He was unlucky to run into her that day and it's good to get a win out of him.”
Lee was earlier successful on Ata Rangi for Henry de Bromhead.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson