DYLAN Browne McMonagle completed a second career treble at Thurles on Thursday with the rider beginning by riding two winners for his employer trainer Joseph O’Brien. The pair began by winning the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) Maiden with well-backed 13/8 favourite Je Zous, which scored for owners Go Racing Limited.

The Zoustar-filly raced with the pace on the outer and in the straight went clear of her rivals, holding on to beat faster-finishing debutante Alpheratz by a length and a quarter. Shane Crosse, representing O’Brien, reported: “She actually ran better than her finishing position first-time out. When you see the ‘7’ beside her name you’d be thinking it was only an okay run but she stayed on well and was good through the line at Naas.

“Dylan was happy with her today, she jumped nicely and he kept the revs up on her from halfway. The ground probably isn’t ideal but she coped with it and is genuine. She is a nice filly and hopefully will progress away. We were fancying her well and she has improved plenty - if anything she has strengthened up again.”

Four races later, Deakin (1/1 favourite) completed doubles for O’Brien and Browne McMonagle, when routing his rivals and scoring by six and a half lengths in the Killinan Handicap. Browne McMonagle, in the colours of OTI Racing, commented: “He has been working well, is an improving horse and it was interesting to see what he would do back in handicap company today. I travelled around well and he picked up well.

“We always thought plenty of him and being gelded had made a huge difference to him. He is very versatile and I don’t think he’ll have any trouble stepping up in trip and isn’t short of a gear or two.

“He is progressing and when these horses start progressing, you never know when they’re going to stop so will be exciting going into next year.”

The jockey completed his hat-trick in the www.thurlesraces.ie Handicap with Nostra Casa (5/1), which scored a two-lengths win for the No Leak Syndicate.

Browne McMonagle, who completed his first career treble in 2022, said: “I kept it very simple. I was drawn wide and stayed wide and the pace wasn’t too strong and I kept it smooth.

“He liked having room and having the bit up in his mouth helped as the last day he backed-out in a big field. I felt like I was always in control and felt like I had Conor (Stone-Walsh on Weather Alert) and he picked up well.

“He should be able to step up in grade as he goes along and hopefully it is onwards and upwards.”

Home parish

In-form Tim Doyle and his wife Claire completed a double at his local track and was the appropriate winner of the Moyne Handicap - named after the trainer’s home parish, with heavily-backed Wrist Art (13/8 favourite), which also initiated a double for apprentice jockey Wayne Hassett. Doyle commented: “He ran a cracker in Listowel but from the outside stall it is very hard to do it around there. The winner of that race won since and ran well again yesterday so the form is holding up.

“Like the rest of our horses, he has just come to himself in the last month. He always showed ability but used to worry a bit and get tense. He has relaxed better now and it has made all the difference. He loves the soft ground and we’ll hope to find another race before the end of the season.”

Half an hour later, Doyle added further joy for his followers with another well-backed winner Alfalfa (7/2 – 2/1 favourite) in the Welcome Back To Thurles Handicap. The trainer said: “I have three horses by Sir Prancealot and they have all won this week (also Simply Sideways).

“I bought his dam, which never ran, in 2008 and while she bred five foals, this is the first to win. A lot goes on behind the scenes and that’ll tell you all you need to know!”

He added: “I was worried through the race as he was running a little keen and thought he mightn’t get home but Wayne said he saw it out well.

“His form this year is very good, he had done nothing wrong and has a great attitude. He is a real trier - he tries too much and needs to relax a bit and I’d say he will jump hurdles. Wayne (Hassett) rode the two horses differently today and is a cool rider.”

THERE was a dead-heat in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden as twice-raced Ritournelle (4/1 joint favourite) was joined on the line by debutante Messerschmitt (28/1) to equally reward cousins – successful jockeys Andrew Slattery and Ben Coen.

Ritournelle’s trainer Andy Slattery wasn’t available but his brother Brian Slattery reported: “That was a great result and she had the experience. We have always liked her and she was entitled to win her maiden. We own her ourselves so we’ll see what will come out of today.”

Messerschmitt’s trainer Noel Meade was excited by his gelding’s performance and added: “I thought the ground would be too soft for him but he is probably a very nice horse. His dam won a couple and he is a gorgeous horse who came out of Tally Ho (Stud).

“He loves fast ground and is a horse who could end up somewhere else (being sold). He is my own and if there is money there for them, we sell. That’s the way it is and we’ll se how it goes.”

CHAMPION jumps trainer Willie Mullins sent one runner to the fixture and won the concluding Horse & Jockey Maiden with Immelmann (11/1), which left some poor Irish form well behind. Ridden by Seamie Heffernan, the Edward Ware-owned gelding was restrained in rear and finished well to eventually beat The Model Kingdom (4/9f) by two and three parts of a length.

Heffernan was in top form after the race and the loquacious rider reported: “I rode a steering-job for Willie here last year and two miles gives me enough time to think what is happening. Once I was jocked-up by Willie - riding in these colours, I thought I’d win!”

He added: “Willie had been disappointed by this horse but he has a massive engine and hadn’t been doing things right. He said if I could switch him off he’d finish well and he was 100% right. He can be tense but maybe that will do his confidence good and I’d say he has a good amount of ability.”