Meade rolls the dice again and Ben Siegel bolts up

Narrowly beaten over ten furlongs at Clonmel yesterday, the 13/8 favourite Ben Siegel went one better in no uncertain terms in division one of the Johnston Handicap over the extended mile and a half.

A second winner on the card for Tamayuz after nursery scorer Mumayaz the 3-year-old gelding tracked market rival Dollar Value before heading him racing to the final furlong. From that point he readily went clear to beat that recent winner by an eased-down seven lengths.

The winner had got off the mark over nine furlongs at Ballinrobe in July.

It was a 38th winner of the campaign for crack apprentice Dylan Browne McMonagle.

Winning trainer Noel Meade said: "He is one of those horses that we thought would do it because he takes plenty of work at home. I think last night's race might have only woken him up a little bit.

"The trip was probably a help, I'd say he was better over the longer trip. He looks like he will stay even further.

"I was hoping he might win last night and come here with a penalty but he just got touched off last night.

"We'll give him a couple of weeks off now. He does like good ground.

"Dylan (Browne McMonagle) is the most up-and-coming rider in the country. He's very, very good and he has beautiful hands. And he is a terrible nice fella."

Quotes from Michael Graham