Monaser off the mark following 101-day absence

DERMOT WELD’S Monaser, absent for 101 days, made a winning reappearance in the Rathronan Maiden at Clonmel last evening.

Backed from evens to 8-11, the Sadler’s Wells colt made hard enough work of it, before finally mastering Real Empire.

The latter shot away early in the straight, but the winner was soon making inroads into his advantage and scored cosily enough in the end, after Pat Smullen had eased his charge ahead inside the furlong pole.