'I'm glad to be back' - champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle returns to action with a quickfire double

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

Reigning champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle burst back onto the scene with a double in the final two races of the card.

It was the 23-year-old's first day back since picking up an injury in Hong Kong, where he enjoyed great success riding over the winter. However, a back injury suffered in March had kept him out of action for the start of the Irish Flat season.

Yousaynothingatall (evens) and Atomic City (1-3) looked like McMonagle's best chances on the card in the two 1m2½f maiden contests and the favourites duly obliged to provide the Donegal man and trainer Joseph O’Brien with a rapid double. 

The two victories mean McMonagle is 12 wins behind jockeys' title leader Colin Keane in these very early stages of the season.

"I'm glad to be back," he said. "I really enjoyed my time in Hong Kong. I'd love to go back there again next season, but it's good to be back on home soil and get on the board."

Royal runs riot

Royal Bay Cen was a spectacular winner of the 5½f Listed Polonia Stakes when the former French-trained three-year-old blitzed her rivals to win on her stable debut for Johnny Murtagh.

Purchased for €20,000 after her form tapered off in a juvenile season that returned two wins, this was a visually stunning nine-length demolition of some reasonable opponents.

Ben Coen asked for an effort heading inside the two-furlong marker and the 15-2 chance quickly left them all trailing in her wake.

"She won really well," said Coen. "She's very genuine and puts a lot into it. I'd say there will definitely be tougher assignments on her agenda now."

Robert Whearty wins the Cork Derby on LondonofficecallingCredit: David Keane

First for Whearty

Robert Whearty kept his skills sharp in the sunnier climes of Australia over the winter and showed them off when lifting Londonofficecallin home in a tight finish to the Cork Derby to get his first win of the season.

Nothing separated four contenders heading into the final furlong and Whearty pulled out all the stops to get the 40-1 chance home by half a length, in the process providing Gavin Cromwell with his second success of the Flat campaign.

"He's a gutsy horse and toughed it out well," said Whearty. "I rode nine winners in Australia. It was a great experience and I'd like to think I came back a bit sharper."

Witness wins

Pat Flynn is dreaming of Royal Ascot after Key Witness won his third race on the trot in the 7f handicap for his owner-trainer.

A shrewd 15,000gns purchase last July, when rated 72 after three runs for Archie Watson, Flynn has produced fantastic improvement from the four-year-old, who scored by a neck off a mark of 89. Flynn says he is open to offers for those seeking a runner at the royal meeting. 

"I'm half thinking now of looking for a race at Ascot," said Flynn. "He's entitled to it now as he'll be up into the 90s. I think he's a seven-furlong horse. If anyone wants a runner at Ascot, they can have my number."

Read more:

'Anti-social' Jancis goes it alone to spring Dahlia Stakes shock for Willie McCreery and Sean Levey 

Aidan O'Brien claims eighth 1,000 Guineas win as 'monster of a filly' True Love proves too good under Wayne Lordan 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.