Monvoe strikes for Roche & Cody Drifting from early shows of 8/1, the easy-to-back Monvoe made the breakthrough in the second divide of the Mr Binman Handicap. Returned at 22/1 and a runner-up on his two most recent starts at Dundalk, the Ray Cody-trained three-year-old soon raced in mid-division under Leigh Roche. Getting a dream run through on the inner approaching the straight, the Claire O'Donovan-owned bay was pushed along to lead with a furlong and a half to go. Finding generously for pressure in the closing stages, he ultimately came home a length-and-a-half to the good, with David Marnane's Amemri (6/1) finishing well down the outer to fill the runner-up spot. A 14/1 chance, Minaun View was another length-and-a-half away in third, while the well-backed Smithfield (9/2f from 14s) finished fourth. "He is my first winner of the season and my horses have just been slow to come to hand. Their coats are slow to come but he is one whose coat has come and his work had been good. If my horses were in better form, I'd have fancied him more," Cody reflected. "I'm delighted with him as that's the first time he has raced properly, as last year he was very immature and thought he was quicker than he was, and wasn't doing things right. "Leigh gave him a lovely ride and while I was worried about the ground, he went through it well. He is a really good looking horse and this is his first time over a mile. "I only ever have ten horses in training, I have five for the Flat and five jumpers now and I'll have plenty of those to run soon." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
