'It's great to be back' - Billy Lee lands double with first rides of 2023

Wednesday: Dundalk

Billy Lee wasted no time in getting back to winning ways on his first day of racing in Ireland this year when securing a 16-1 double with victories aboard 11-2 shot Havana Pearl and 13-8 chance Firstman.

Last season's championship runner-up initiated his double aboard the Mick Halford-trained Havana Pearl, who relished the step up in trip to land the second division of the 1m2½f handicap.

It was a first win for the Camelot filly at the tenth time of asking, and Lee said her trainer was confident she would find more over further.

“Mick [Halford] filled me with confidence going out,” he told Racing TV. “She’s settling well now. She ran over a lot shorter in the past. I was able to sit second and when I picked her up, she galloped out to the line.”

Firstman, trained by Tony Martin, justified favouritism in the 2m handicap, sweeping down the outside after being positioned towards the back of the field throughout.

“We didn’t go quickly,” said Lee. “He was stepping up to two miles. He settled beautifully and it was always going to suit me when they sprinted. There’s more to come from him. It’s great to be back and we’ll keep the ball rolling."

Lee was narrowly denied a treble aboard No Speed Limit, whose late challenge was held off by the Keith Clarke-trained Kuwait Direction under Gavin Ryan in the first division of the 6f handicap.

Results, replays and analysis

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