Monksland creates big impression at Naas

Noel Meade’s Monksland booked his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival with a runaway victory in the Slaney Novice Hurdle at Naas.

The five-year-old was an 11-length winner on his sole bumper start at Down Royal in November and had made the perfect start to his career over obstacles at Navan a month later.