Billy Lee, Ballingarry, realised a lifetime’s ambition when he was crowned Ireland’s Champion Jockey after the end of the season in the Curragh.
He was on the cusp of such an achievement several times in recent times.
Billy finished runner-up to Colin Keane on three previous occasions: in 2022 (by just three wins), 2023 and 2024.
He was again vying for the championship last year when an injury sustained in July sidelined him for two months and the chance was gone.
At 40, Billy is the oldest first-time title winner since Tommy Murphy achieved the same feat aged 42 in 1978. Billy’s haul for the calendar year was 99, and has now set him a personal target of a century (100) of winners next term. Tipperary trainer Paddy Twomey has been his biggest supporter with over 30 winners. Billy’s season has been littered with numerous stakes victories, mostly from Paddy’s stable in Golden, the source of his most lucrative success in the Goffs Million on Trean.
Overall, he has ridden winners for 22 different trainers from almost 650 rides during the campaign, by some margin the highest total in the land.
His victory was richly deserved.
“This championship is as much for the people supporting me as it is for me,” Billy said. “They got me to win this championship, I won’t forget that in a hurry.”
In the Champion Apprentice category, there was a late-season forward push – which included a famous treble at Punchestown on Saturday – from Paddy Harnett, 24, Abbeyfeale, to grab pole position with 29 wins for the campaign.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “I just want to thank absolutely everybody that’s followed me and supported me; owners, trainers, even jockeys. It’s massive to me and my career. This is huge. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it was a massive milestone in anyone’s racing career.”