Bellewstown treble stretches Dylan Browne McMonagle's title race advantage
PULLING CLEAR: Dylan Browne McMonagle steers Synners Kid to victory in the opening race at Bellewstown on Thursday. Picture: Healy Racing
Dylan Browne McMonagle took another significant step towards a first jockeys’ championship with a treble in Bellewstown, part of a fabulous 51-1 four-timer for his boss Joseph O’Brien.
The Donegal man now leads six-time champion Colin Keane by eight in the title-race (86-78) which will end at the Curragh, on November 2.
The O’Brien haul started in the opening KC Shipping Nursery when 2-1 joint-favourite and top-weight Synners Kid, up 10lb for his recent handicap debut success in Naas, came from last to first to register an impressive, five-length victory over Down The Glen.
Browne McMonagle said: “He’s taken a step forward since Naas. I had a good pace to aim at, he picked up well, and won well at the line. He has plenty of speed and handles that ground, although he should cope with better ground. He’s a fine, big horse and should keep improving.”
O’Brien’s stable-jockey lost out when Tswalu, placed in seven of her eight previous starts and a beaten favourite seven times, belatedly opened her account under in-form apprentice Julian Pietropaolo (who received a four-day whip ban), in the fillies’ maiden, getting up close home to deny Thru And Thru by a head.
But O’Brien’s stable-jockey was back in the winner’s enclosure when Shavasi (6-5 favourite) came through between horses to seal the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ Handicap at the expense of 33-1 shot Gloriously Glam.
“I had a good draw and sat in the box-seat,” explained the winning rider. “She travelled around on the bridle, like the best filly, and, when the gap opened, she quickened to get into it. That ground is as slow as she’d want, but she’s very versatile and she has a great attitude.”
Browne McMonagle completed his treble and provided O’Brien with his fourth winner when making all on Snapretend in the Kilsaran Race.
“She’s improving with racing and loved being in front, although she was having a good look around,” said the rider. “Stepping up in trip has helped her too. If she keeps improving, she might sneak a little bit of black type.”
Elsewhere on the card, apprentice Megan Telford-Kelly, who rode out her 10lb claim on Wednesday, struck again on Edergole’s Angel for in-form Willie McCreery in the Bluegrass Horse Feeds Handicap while Art Of Unity, (Nicola Burns), on his stable debut for Aidan Melia, repeated last year’s win in the Andy Carroll Memorial Handicap.
