Search
Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
- Home
- News
Donal Murphy
Nolan & McInerney take the last with Monotype
Monotype and Donal McInerney jump the last
© Photo Healy Racing
Paul Nolan recorded his third winner of the month, as his Monotype got the better of the favourite Wait Here in the concluding race at Limerick, the Provimilk Milk Replacer Rated Novice Hurdle.
Successful on the level when trained by Roger Varian, the son of Makifi disappointed on his last two starts at Cork and Wexford respectively.
As big as 14/1 in a place this morning, he opened on-course at 8s, before going off a 7/1 chance in the colours of owner John Brennan.
Settled behind the leaders, he improved to lead at the fifth. He was pressed and joined by Wait Here as they approached the straight, but he soon went on again, keeping on best under pressure to score by four and a half lengths.
Wait Here, who was returned at 2/1 (from 5/4 on-course), finished second under Andrew Lynch for Austin Leahy, while Cosmo's Moon (3s to 9/4) was a massive forty-three lengths back in third
Nolan said afterwards: "We tried to bully him a couple of times and it didn't suit and I said to Donie that it was bottomless and it might suit to be going that bit easier. I said to jump him off handy but to keep taking him back.
"He had good form on the flat but hadn't ran that often which was a little bit of a worry and he's not easy to train but thankfully he jumped that bit better today.
"Thanks to Gerry Hogan (bloodstock agent) for buying him and at least he's after winning now. We'll probably go for a handicap next and hopefully there won't be too much done with him after that. He seemed to just relish those testing conditions and we'll keep our feet on the ground."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes