Dylan Browne McMonagle is setting a scorching pace in the apprentice riders championship and he moved onto the 21 winner mark for the campaign as Fearless Girl justified good support in the Treacy’s Pharmacies Handicap at Ballinrobe.

The John Murphy-trained filly, as big as 9/1 in the morning and sent off at just 3/1, was never too far from the pace and got on top inside the final furlong to beat Magnetic North by half a length. Bardo Contiguo got a lovely run through on the inner entering the straight but could find no extra in the final 100 yards to finish a further two and a half lengths back in third.

Browne McMonagle, who has a very healthy lead over Cian MacRedmond (10 wins) in the apprentice title race, said "I was a little wide from a bad draw and had to keep pushing forward.

“She was tough and it’s nice to get a winner on my first visit to the track. That’s my second winner for the Murphys.”

(AM & EM)