Browne McMonagle draws first blood as Acclamatic comes good Dylan Browne McMonagle stretched his lead at the head of the jockeys championship to eight, when partnering the Joseph O'Brien trained Acclamatic to win the opening Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden (Smullen Series) (Median Auction Race) at the Curragh. Placed on all three previous starts, the son of Acclamation was sent off 7/2 to end a frustrating series of near misses. Prominent from the outset, Browne McMonagle moved through to challenge leader Ardad Ned two furlongs from the finish. The Shandyman, who travelled strongly under Joey Sheridan, made it a line of three approaching the furlong pole. Ridden to lead 200 yards out, the latter was strongly pressed by Acclamatic, who rallied close home to score by half-a-length. Browne McMonagle said: “He’s been hitting the crossbar, he’s a solid horse. “He races lazily but he’s sharpened up with racing and I thought he travelled well today. “I thought Colin would take me a good bit further than he did and I knew Joey was beside me breathing down my neck, but what he had left I don’t know. “I was trying to drag my lad as far as I could without committing him because it’s going to take a bit of getting there today. The ground is slow. “One he did get there and I got a couple of backhanders into him he was good and strong through the line. “He was running through the gears nicely and I wasn’t really committing him until I got well inside the furlong-and-a-half and then he was able to dig deep for the last furlong. “He was good and tough.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
