Billy Lee’s title ambitions reliant on result of appeal against ban

Billy Lee’s appeal against a six-day suspension that could ultimately decide the destiny of this season’s jockey’s championship takes place on Wednesday morning.

Locked together with Colin Keane on 89 winners apiece, both riders are in action at Dundalk on Wednesday afternoon.

Prior to that, however, could come the most important result of all as Lee appeals a ban that currently rules him out of the final two fixtures of the campaign. The hearing takes place at Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board HQ starting at 9.30am.

The Co Limerick rider, who at the start of the season was a 50-1 outsider to be champion for the first time, was suspended for six days at Dundalk last month after exceeding the eight-stroke limit on a winner by one strike. Lee unsuccessfully argued on the day that two of those strikes were for correctional purposes which is permitted.

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The ban begins on Friday, which also has racing at Dundalk, and continues to the season finale at Naas on Sunday.

Taking the suspension into account, bookmakers reckon Keane is a 1-5 favourite to retain the championship, with Lee a 3-1 shot, odds that could be revised dramatically if the underdog gets a vital reprieve.

Beleaguerment is the horse at the centre of the appeal after he needed all Lee’s strength to win by a neck on his last visit to the all-weather over six furlongs. That neck victory has earned him a 4lb penalty for one of Wednesday’s handicaps but an extra furlong could suit this course and distance winner who will hardly lack for motivation from the saddle.

He is one of a full book of eight rides for Lee – one more than Keane – and the veteran Universal Focus looks another with a decent chance in a mile and a half handicap. Keane could get Wednesday’s action off to a fine start with an old ally Bucky Larson in a claimer.

Elsewhere, Joseph O’Brien, who has Breeders Cup contenders in Keeneland later in the week through Above The Curve (Filly & Mare) and Basil Martini (Juvenile Fillies Turf,) saddles a couple of interesting two-year-olds at Dundalk. O’Brien saddled the winners in races that both Queen Maedbh and Sibyl Charm finished runners up in earlier this year. They are now in his care and the former in particular looks to have a favourite’s chance.