Memories of Monksfield follow McDonogh’s winner Declan McDonogh appropriately partnered a winner for Jim Bolger today in the same week his dad Des announced his retirement from training, steering Neo Smart (9/1) to win Dundalk’s Bar 1 Betting Handicap for his father’s longtime friend. In today’s race, McDonogh produced the Bolger-owned-and-bred daughter of Belardo from mid-field to lead inside the final furlong, eventually scoring by 1.25 lengths from Leopold The First . McDonogh senior, trainer of legendary Monksfield, had credited friend since-the-1970s Bolger with ‘resurrecting us’ in the mid-2010s but, on Wednesday, announced his retirement following 54 years as a trainer. Regarding his father, McDonogh stated “I’m delighted he retired, as I had been on to him for a while to do it. It became hardship with the grind of driving and everything, and doing the job of seven on your own, with my sister Shona. “Until you become a father yourself, you don’t appreciate what your parents do for you and mine gave me super opportunities to get me started. He gave me my first winner on Aine’s Pet on the old sprint track in Leopardstown and while I wasn’t alive for Monksfield’s career, I remember going to see him when he stood at stud. “Great lads came through my father’s yard, including Harry Rogers and Graham Lee, and he gave everyone a start, in fairness.” Regarding Neo Smart, Bolger’s travelling head man Ger Flynn added "Her last two runs up here have been very consistent. The last time she ran really well too, finished fourth, so she has been knocking on the door. "She's at a mark there now, 72, and it is a winnable mark. As Declan said, the race just unfolded for her today. Hopefully we can find something for her in the next couple of weeks and go on again. "Declan has always been a favourite of ours, he gets the job done and he is very similar to Kevin (Manning) the way he rides, and follows the instructions from Jim to a tee. He knows our horses and knows the gallop.” Quotes from Michael Graham
