Billy Lee is to appeal against the six-day ban imposed on him by the stewards at Dundalk on Friday night that threatens to scupper his bid to become champion jockey.
Embroiled in a long-running battle with Colin Keane for the title, Lee secured a valuable success on board Beleaguerment in a handicap on Friday only to pick up a suspension for his use of the whip.
In a driving finish Lee appeared to go one over the eight-stroke limit but told the stewards he used his whip twice close to the line for corrective purposes, which is permitted. He also pointed to how he had to move his body weight to the left because Beleaguerment was hanging.
However, the stewards concluded he had breached the rules and used the whip with excessive frequency. Taking Lee’s previous record into consideration they gave him six days.
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With only a handful of dates remaining before the flat season ends on turf on Sunday week, the suspension could decisively swing the initiative Keane’s way as Lee is ruled out for Dundalk on Friday week and the final day of the campaign at Naas.
After Sunday’s Curragh action Keane and Lee are locked together on 88 winners each for the season.
Lee’s agent, Kevin O’Ryan, confirmed the rider will lodge an appeal with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. He has until the close of business on Monday to do so.
O’Ryan, who was critical of the suspension in his role as a pundit on Racing TV while covering Friday’s action, indicated any appeal may revolve around the severity of the ban.
“He is definitely going to put in the appeal, maybe the severity of it, but that is up to the solicitor,” said O’Ryan who on Friday pointed to what he felt is inconsistency in enforcement of the whip rules by officials.
Lee and Keane traded title blows again at the Curragh on Sunday where the latter briefly stretched his lead to two on board the Ger Lyons Imaginarium.
His rival struck back immediately though with a wide-margin 12-length success on Bua before recording a Listed victory in the Waterford Testimonial Stakes on the 6-5 favourite Moss Tucker.
Ken Condon’s charge was building on a fine effort previously in the Group One Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp.
“Moss Tucker had a big run at Longhcamp where he just missed the break. It was costly, obviously, but he still ran a very good race. That’s what you get with him. He turns up in any ground and every time. He’s very honest, reliable and solid,” said Condon.
“He might be a horse for Dubai in March or if he doesn’t go there we’ll have a nice time making a plan in Listed and Group races … He’ll turn up in all those good races over five or six and we’ll target a Group One again later in the year.”
