Monsieur wins as raiders dominate

As was anticipated in many quarters, the British raiders were dominant in the Listed Kilfrush Stud Abergwaun Stakes, as the in-form Joseph O'Brien guided home Monsieur Joe at the head of a one, two, four, five for the cross-channel invaders at Tipperary.

Paul Midgley 's Monsieur Joe was joint favourite at 3/1, and he was a length and a half superior to Robert Cowell's Iffranesia (Shane Foley), with Tom Hogan's Dikta Del Mar doing best of the home team, two and a half lengths off them in third.

Another of the British, Cordial was fourth, whilst Monsieur Joe's fellow market-leader, Speed Hawk came home in fifth position.

"I've had a good few rides for Paul (Midgley) and while they ran well, it's nice to get the winner for him," commented O'Brien after his all-the-way-success.

"He (Monsieur Joe) jumped and travelled and had his ideal ground today. The ground is dead."

C.T. Keane, rider of Speed Hawk (USA), trained by Robert Cowell (in GB), reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount was forced to check for a stride about 200 yards from the finish.

(TW & EM)