The Poacher Daly land maiden success under McMonagle The Poacher Daly continued the fine recent run of trainer Joseph O'Brien when readily landing the Tankardstown House Maiden at Bellewstown. Third at Down Royal last month, the Inns Of Court gelding was sent off 4/1 in a race that revolved around the seriously well backed Pansy Poe (5/6-2/7f). Prominent from the outset, Dylan Browne McMonagle disputed the lead on The Poacher Daly, alongside the Colin Keane ridden Times In Oz. Joey Sheridan was hard at work on the odds on Pansy Poe over two furlongs out, as McMonagle kicked from the front with the inside rail to help. Going clear inside the final furlong, The Poacher Daly had two-and-a-half lengths in hand of the staying on Platino Bianco at the finish. Stable representative Sean Corby said: "All of his runs have been on either the all-weather or on good ground. I don't think it is as soft as they were describing it at the start of the day. "I think a fast five (furlongs) suits him. It is obviously quite downhill here and he has got loads of pace. He stuck at it well to the line today. "He has just got so much pace and, if it was any way of a stiff track, he wasn't really getting home. He was always kind of bang there until a furlong down and was just fading away. "It is nice to get his head in front eventually. "I'm not too sure what the lads will do but, I would imagine if it is going to be soft over the next few weeks, I don't think he would want the ground too slow." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
