Racing: Good times continue as Lee lands his 100th victory

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Graham Lee capped an incredible start to the first year of his reinvention as a Flat jockey by riding his 100th winner of 2012 at Wolverhampton yesterday.

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White and Gold

Following a series of injuries sustained as a National Hunt rider, the 36-year-old Grand National-winning Irishman decided to try his hand on the level in the spring and picked up 87 victories to finish eighth in the jockeys' championship.

Lee has continued to ply his trade on the all-weather during the winter and rattled off the century by bringing the Jeremy Noseda-trained 1-2 favourite Prophets Pride home in the Dine In Horizons Median Auction Maiden Stakes.Looking ahead to the weekend, Albertas Run could bid to register a fourth course success in the Betfred Treble Odds On Lucky 15's Chase at Aintree on Saturday. Jonjo O'Neill's talented 11-year-old was last in the winner's enclosure in the Old Roan Chase at the Merseyside track in October, 2011.He was last seen finishing third behind Finian's Rainbow in the Melling Chase at Aintree in April. "He's getting a bit older and is carrying a bit of weight, but he won the Old Roan there on his first run last year," said jockey Tony McCoy."That was over two and a half [miles] but he got the run of the race. Jonjo seems to be happy with him."At the same meeting, trainer Tom George is looking forward to running Big Fella Thanks in the Becher Handicap Chase. The 10-year-old has completed the course in three Grand Nationals with a best position of fourth in 2010 when trained by Paul Nicholls.Big Fella Thanks had his first run since joining George's Slad stable at Aintree over the Mildmay fences, but unseated Paddy Brennan at the eighth."The plan has been for Big Fella Thanks to run in the Becher Chase since he came back into training," said George. "He had a run round the other day. It didn't quite go to plan, but he gave himself a good blow and he's none the worse for it."I'm looking forward to it and he's had a good preparation."George and owners Crossed Fingers Partnership have a second Becher entry in Desperate Dex. The 12-year-old, who has won both his starts this season at Wincanton and Chepstow, is set to bypass Aintree and run instead at Exeter on Friday."We've just given him an entry in case Exeter is off," said George. "He's owned by the same people as Big Fella Thanks and they are coming over from abroad. He's more likely to run at Exeter."Finally, Frankie Dettori expects to learn today what his punishment will be for failing a drugs test in France in September.France Galop concluded their inquiry into Dettori's case yesterday morning, with the rider's legal team saying he had received "a sympathetic hearing".The 41-year-old rider could be handed a six-month ban having tested positive for a banned substance at Longchamp on September 16.The French racing authority's medical commission held an initial inquiry last month before passing their findings on to the stewards for their consideration. France Galop announced on November 21 that Dettori would be temporarily suspended from riding in France on medical grounds.

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Racing: Good times continue as Lee lands his 100th victory

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