McMonagle just magic as Wizard doubles up for Cody Dylan Browne McMonagle was once again seen to great effect as he guided the Ray Cody trained Merlin The Wizard to an easy win in the Michael Joyce Memorial Handicap at Ballinrobe. A Claiming Race winner over 12-furlongs at Limerick last time, the gelding appreciated dropping back in trip here as he recorded a fifth career success. Well positioned throughout, the 7/2 chance headed Grey Leader over two-furlongs out, bursting clear into the straight. Although Daler closed the gap to one-and-a-quarter lengths at the line, the Mrs L Honan and Ronnie Quinn owned gelding was always in command. Ray Cody said: "I told Dylan to pop out and be handy, and to settle him where he was comfortable, and he gave him a brilliant ride. I was happy watching it, because I knew it was going to be hard for the fancied ones to come from the back. "The last day when he won (at Limerick) it turned into a three-furlong sprint and he was tapped for toe a bit, so I wanted him to be handy and that's usually the way to ride them around here. "His owners are from Galway and that's the plan for him now. It will be more competitive there, but this was a nice race to win anyway. "We just have 10 stables in the yard, and that's as many as I want. Luckily we've managed to find one or two decent horses most years and if they're good enough, I feel I'm good enough to train them." Quotes by Mark Nunan
