Irish Flat Jockeys Championship Update: 'It was my dream growing up" With no racing in Britain on Wednesday, all eyes were fixed on Cork where the riders duelling for the Irish Flat Jockeys' Championship were in action. As it happened, neither reigning champion Colin Keane nor current championship pacesetter Dylan Browne McMonagle were able to get on the scoresheet at the Mallow venue. It leaves Browne McMonagle (75) seven clear of the six-time champion Keane (68) with less than two months of the season remaining. Browne McMonagle is 1/4 with Paddy Power to win his maiden jockeys' title, with Keane now rated a 5/2 chance and it is 25/1 bar the pair. Destined for the top Ever since he made headlines on the pace racing circuit, Browne McMonagle has been touted for the very top. He won the Dingle Derby when he was 12 and would end up with nearly 300 winners on the pony racing circuit, with his uncle, Adrian Browne, a key figure in shaping his career at that time. The young star in the making from Letterkenny was riding alongside peers like Sam Ewing, Rossa Ryan, Mikey Sheehy, Ben Coen and Luke McAteer in his formative days, while looking up to the likes of Keith Donoghue and fellow Donegal rider Martin Harley. "Keith [Donoghue] was huge for me. He used to wear the Harchibald colours when he was pony racing and that's why I started wearing them too, because Keith was my idol growing up," Browne McMonagle recently told the Racing Post. Back in early June, Keane was announced as retained rider for top owner Juddmonte, earning the nod to ride their best horses from a host of top trainers in Ireland, Britain and France. Keane has been the champion rider in Ireland six times, in 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and while it was a big career move for the Meath native, it potentially opened the door for a new champion on the Flat in Ireland given his commitments to riding away from home. At that time, Browne McMonagle was quick enough to play down hopes of a maiden title, but fast forward more than three months and he's got few options but to acknowledge he is in the heat of the battle — though the level-headed 22-year-old won't be getting carried away. "My dream growing up was to be champion jockey," says the former champion apprentice. "The year has been going really well for me so far and we're well ahead of last year's tally. "I just need to keep on improving. I know I've a long way to go yet and, as everyone knows in this game, you're as good only as your last ride. It's not about what happened yesterday, it's about what happens tomorrow." Keane facing a battle to cling to his crown Keane is in Doncaster for the opening two days of the St Leger Festival on Thursday and Friday, though he's likely to be on home soil for both days of the Irish Champions Weekend at the Curragh and Leopardstown. His requirements to travel for the Juddmonte job will ensure his rivals have a chance to steal a march on the home front. Browne McMonagle heads for Clonmel on Thursday with a book of five rides, at least two of which may start favourite. With a lead of seven over Keane, he could extend that out further and the Donegal man is going to be hard to derail now as he closes in on fulfilling one of his life's dreams.
