Des McDonogh, trainer of the legendary hurdler Monksfield, announces his retirement after 54 years

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Des McDonogh, trainer of the legendary dual Champion Hurdle hero Monksfield, has announced his retirement from training after 54 years.

Monksfield won three Aintree Hurdles – dead-heating with Night Nurse in 1977 – and back-to-back Champion Hurdles in 1978 and 1979 in a golden era for the division which featured him, Sea Pigeon and Night Nurse regularly engaging in memorable duels. 

Having cost just 740gns as a yearling, Monksfield finished runner-up to Night Nurse in the 1977 Champion Hurdle and denied his rival a hat-trick the following year when beating him into third under Tommy Kinane, with Sea Pigeon splitting the pair. McDonogh was just 31 years old at the time.

Dessie Hughes guided Monksfield home to beat Sea Pigeon into second again 12 months later, securing a memorable double for his trainer after Stranfield had landed the Supreme Novices' Hurdle earlier on the card. Sea Pigeon reversed the form in 1980 and also became a dual winner of the race in 1981. 

"With my age and the stress of going racing is enormous at the moment, I felt I could do without all that now," said McDonogh. "It's been on my mind on and off. I probably should have pulled the plug the day we had a winner at Down Royal last month and if Luimneach had won instead of finishing second, I might have."

McDonogh began training in 1972 and saddled his first winner with Muraka, who landed a bumper under Alan Ross at Thurles on February 1 the following year. 

Reflecting on Monksfield's career, the 79-year-old said: "His record at Cheltenham was second, second, first, first and second, which was outstanding really. When he was beaten in 1980, two months beforehand Jonathan Powell, who wrote a book on Monksfield and was a great friend of ours, rang up to say they were changing the course and were no longer racing on the first circuit up past the winning post and around the loop.

"So Sea Pigeon only had to go up the hill once, instead of twice! I told the owner we'd find it very hard to complete the three in a row as a result. Michael Mangan [owner] said a champion should be allowed to defend his title over the same course and distance. We had great days at Cheltenham and Aintree. To win three Aintree Hurdles was superb, including the day Red Rum won his third National. When Stranfield won the Supreme Novices' too, that was a great day too."

When asked for his highlight, McDonogh said: "Monksfield's first Champion Hurdle. That was out of this world really. From where we are in this neck of the woods, you wouldn't expect it to happen. He had been second the year before and we knew he had the ability. He was just one in a million."

Monksfield (left) and Sea Pigeon jump the last in the 1979 Champion HurdleCredit: Gerry Cranham

Herbert United was another top-class hurdler for the trainer and his biggest success came in the 1986 Irish Champion Hurdle, which he was awarded in the stewards' room after finishing second past the post to Kesslin.

McDonogh said: "He was the last really good horse. I ran him in the 1987 Champion Hurdle [won by See You Then] and I haven't been back to Cheltenham since. I said I'd wait until I got a horse good enough to go and it shows you how difficult it is to get one."

McDonogh's last Graded win came in 2014 with Fiscal Focus in the Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle, while he also landed the €80,000 Rybo Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse with JP McManus's Hearts Are Trumps, who is still at the yard, in 2021. He enjoyed one of his best recent campaigns in 2022-23 when saddling six winners and has sent out four in the last three seasons.

He said: "Hearts Are Trumps was a lovely horse and was second in the Galway Hurdle. I would have loved to win a Galway Hurdle and that was the closest we got. He's still here and has a home for life."

McDonogh's son Declan has been one of the top Flat jockeys in Ireland over the last 25 years, and was champion in 2006, while his late wife Helen was a ground-breaking female jockey. A pioneering figure in Irish racing and the foremost female rider of her generation in point-to-points, she was a pivotal part of the yard's success.

McDonogh said: "Declan's had a wonderful career and is still riding as good as ever. We were always delighted with what he's achieved. I was ably assisted by my daughter Shona and my late wife Helen, who's unfortunately gone but was the lifeblood of the place."

McDonogh's last winner came at Down Royal last month when Carl Millar steered Verbal Sparring to success in a handicap hurdle.

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