Billy Lee’s Irish champion jockey hopes hit by broken collarbone

Billy Lee’s hopes of being crowned Ireland’s champion jockey for the first time have been dealt a blow after he broke his collarbone when brought down at Limerick on Saturday.

Lee was riding Heishybrid for Noel Meade in the Private Suites At Limerick Racecourse Handicap when Woodhsaw Whisper fell, bringing him down. Woodshaw Whisper’s rider, apprentice Nicola Burns, suffered a broken nose.

Lee is currently just three behind Colin Keane in the race for the title and with Keane now required in England and France in his role as Juddmonte’s retained rider, an opportunity had opened up.

Now, however, he faces up to four weeks on the sidelines and a race to be fit to get back to race Paddy Twomey’s St Leger hope Carmers in the Great Voltigeur at York on August 20. Carmers was one of two Royal Ascot winners for Lee last month, having also scored on Henry de Bromhead’s Ascending.

“Billy has broken his collarbone, but it is a clean break and hopefully he could be back in about four weeks,” said his agent Kevin O’Ryan.

“He’s in good spirits and is looking on the bright side. Typical of Billy he said ‘it could be a lot worse’.”