Northern riders sign off in style

AS the flat season in both Britain and Ireland came to a close on Saturday, there were wins at Naas for Co Donegal’s Oisin Orr and Dylan Browne McMonagle who finished joint-ninth and 10th in the jockeys’ championship with 35 and 32 wins respectively.

McMonagle partnered two of his winners the previous afternoon at the Curragh, his success in the mile-and-four maiden on Lady Dahlia, who is trained by his boss, Joseph O’Brien, being preceded by victory in the 10-furlong handicap on the Tony Martin-trained Dundory.

Also from Co Donegal, Luke McAteer partnered 25 winners during the season while Sam Ewing, who rode his first winner in August, saw out the campaign with 16 victories to his credit.

The Templepatrick native maintained his good form by riding a single winner at Dundalk on Monday followed by a double at the Co Louth track on Wednesday.

Co Tyrone’s Simon Torrens, better known for his exploits over jumps, recorded his first win at Dundalk when landing Monday’s opening extended 10-furlong race on the John McConnell-trained Itsalonglongroad.

Torrens had partnered the six-year-old Lawman gelding to finish fifth on his previous start in a two-mile novice chase at Tramore. On Wednesday, Co Monaghan’s Conor McGovern landed the seven-furlong nursery on Going Global, bringing up a double for trainer Michael Halford.

Across the water and over jumps, Brian Hughes rode four winners between last Thursday week and Monday, frustratingly being placed on a large percentage of his other many rides in the period under review, while Danny McMenamin partnered his 13th winner of the season at Sedgefield last Thursday week.