Browne McMonagle doubles up on well backed War Correspondent

Dylan Browne McMonagle completed a double on the evening as War Correspondent rewarded good support in the Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.

The five-year-old grey gelding, available at 25/1 overnight and sent off at just 7/1, was never far from the pace and was sent to the front entering the straight.

Browne McMonagle, successful earlier on the card aboard 2/9 favourite Nerano quickly brought him right over onto the stand side rail and he kept on strongly inside the final furlong to score by five lengths. Yokkell took the runner-up spot with Eskimo Komet a further length and a quarter back in third.

Winning trainer Ray Cody said, "The last day was a non event, he stood in the stalls and the race was over. Lucky enough we were in last today which was a big help.

"His three runs before that were very good and I thought one day he might just come good. He's after running around 20 times on the Flat and has never won.

"Dylan said he was going to keep it simple today. He said if he came out, he would ride him real positive. If he fell in a hole up the straight, so be it. He stayed going.

"To win five lengths, I couldn't believe it. That was a 95 handicap - there was only one horse rated over 95 and the rest of them were in the 80s (and 70s), but he won well.

"He's basically running away here until he gets a bit of nice ground to go back over jumps. He wants good ground. He has a wind issue, so he gets away with it on nice ground. As soon as the weather dries up, he will go back over hurdles.

"He's a fine big horse and great to get his head in front."

Quotes by Michael Graham