McMonagle on the mark again

Dylan Browne McMonagle partnered his fifth winner of the week when giving Mighty Blue a confident ride in the fillies handicap at the Curragh this afternoon. Effernock Fizz cut out the running in the mile-and-a-half contest but looked a sitting duck in the straight as Mighty Blue travelled ominously well to track her.

Browne McMonagle asked his mount to hit the front a furlong from home and the French-bred filly soon settled matters, going on for a two-and-three-quarter length success at odds of 7/1.

The Joseph O'Brien-trained filly was dropping back into handicap company having been sixth in a Listed race at Gowran last month.

“It was a good performance under top-weight, Dylan is good value for his claim and he gave her a lovely confident ride,” said O'Brien.

“Obviously his claim helped but it was still a good performance from her to carry the weight and win in that ground, I actually think she enjoyed the ground.

“She was dropping in class after running in a couple of stakes races. She was due to run in Sligo when the race was called off and that was obviously for luck now.

“We had hoped that she was a filly that was capable of getting black-type. It hasn't happened yet but hopefully it will.

“She will have an entry in a handicap on Champions Weekend but it will depend on the ground.

“I'm very lucky to have some very good apprentices in the yard. Obviously Shane (Crosse) is very good and Dylan is very good. He has lots of experience pony racing as does Mikey Sheehy.

“I have a few other good chaps there, Alan Persse, Hugh (Horgan) and Cathal Gahan.

“When apprentices get going, get on a roll, and get a bit of confidence it's kind of a free 7lb. I'm lucky to have a number of good apprentices.”