Mandarin Monarch and Joe Doyle (left) win from Thosedaysaregone (green and white) and Dalileo (right)© Photo Healy Racing
Mandarin Monarch (11/1) railed really well, in contrast to some of his rivals, before winning the Clonea Strand, Dungarvan Handicap by lengths from the staying-on 9/4 favourite Thosedaysaregone
Joe Doyle ’s mount tracked the leaders before improving, racing tight to the rail, over two furlongs from home where the challenging Dalileo hung off the bend and brought Tonkinese wide on the track with him.
This possibly left the winner in front a bit soon if anything, but he stuck to his task well to follow up on his victory at Limerick last month.
After making a winning debut at two for Jim Bolger, the Manduro gelding has since won four more on the level in addition to three wins over hurdles.
Winning trainer Andrew McNamara junior said: "He has been a super horse for us altogether and I think that's his seventh win for us now.
"I thought this might have been a hot contest but he seemed to handle the track no bother.
"I thought if we were going to have a winner it might have been the other fella (Amlad), but he was beaten fair and square.
"We haven't jumped a hurdle with him for a while. We will probably look at that again now. There is a couple of races coming up that might suit him.
"He is rising in the handicap now on the level so he might be at a more competitive level over hurdles.
“He does hang at times but he hangs in the right direction. The others ran off the bend and he lugged in and I think it probably made the difference between winning and losing.
"He had run well in Galway the last time and if you handle Galway there is a fair chance you can handle here.”
Additional reporting by Donal Murphy
