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McNamara tips his hat to Doyle

Mandarin Monarch relishes a staying tripMandarin Monarch relishes a staying trip
© Photo Healy Racing

Mandarin Monarch forged on well to land the concluding two mile one handicap in Limerick.

The seven-year-old gelding made progress over a quarter of a mile out, and was steered into the lead by Joe Doyle with a furlong and a half to travel.

He wasn't for stopping in this staying test, as he closed it out by a length and three quarters. Cabalgata (11/1) finished second, a short head in front of 3/1 favourite Penny Out

Andrew McNamara said: "He's been a great servant for us. He ran a nice race at Fairyhouse when he didn't get the clearest run up the straight and Joe (Doyle) said the step up to two miles would be a help to him. The horse is probably getting a bit slower as he gets older.

"He'll go to Galway now, the lads who own him are from there and they've been bursting to go there since they bought him but haven't made it yet. He'll probably run in a two-mile handicap hurdle there. It's Joe's first winner for me and I've found him very good to deal with."

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes

1st
10/1
Tote €9.60 €1.90
2nd
1.75L
11/1
€3.40
3rd
shd
3/1Fav
€1.10
4th
1.5L
22/1
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.