Princess Child wins the Ahonoora Handicap on second outing of the week to give Dylan Browne McMonagle leading Flat jockey award

Princess Child inexorably ground down Gleneagle Bay and course specialist Dunum to take the 7f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap by a length and a quarter.

The four-year-old had put in a valiant effort in a fillies' Listed contest on Thursday when failing by a short head under Declan McDonagh after making rapid late headway having been short of racing room. 

Dylan Browne McMonagle had preferred Joseph O'Brien-trained stablemate Mataariki on that occasion, but with the stable having just one runner in the Ahonoora, the jockey didn't have a decision to make this time.

Browne McMonagle launched his challenge when coming wide off the home turn, and the 5-1 chance slowly but surely reeled in the leaders. The win was the jockey's third success of the week and saw him go home with the leading Flat jockey award for the meeting. 

“Once we straightened up I knew I would pick them up because they were kind of paddling in front," said Browne McMonagle. "She is a very consistent filly and hopefully she can progress into stakes company again and get her head in front.”

Zanahiyr too strong

Zanahiyr sealed a great week for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy when getting the better of 8-11 favourite Blood Destiny in what was effectively a match in the 2m6½f chase.

Elliott won three of the seven main races of the week, including the Galway Plate and Hurdle, and this victory saw the County Meath trainer end the seven-day Ballybrit festival with five winners.

Zanahiyr on his way to winning the 2m6½f chase to give Gordon Elliott his fifth winner of the weekCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Kennedy was keen to put the questionable stamina of the Willie Mullins-trained Blood Destiny to the test, and in the end his rival simply did not have the stamina reserves, Zanahiyr sauntering home four lengths to the good.

The win gave Kennedy his fourth victory of the week and also saw him bag the leading jump jockey award.

Kennedy said: “I knew my lad stayed and I was happy enough to tip away in front. It worked out well. He was brilliant at the last two fences. 

"It has been a great week, very enjoyable, so a few more weeks like this would be good.”

Moment denies Mullins

Willie Mullins won the leading trainer award at the festival on points, but he was denied a winner on the final day when Gavin Cromwell’s Aspurofthemoment headed 16-5 favourite Arctic Fly late on in the 2m2f handicap chase, winning cosily at the finish. 

The 7-1 chance was having just his third start over fences and had made a bad mistake at Killarney on his last outing. Yet the point winner jumped flawlessly here and was given a confident ride by Kevin Sexton. He was in last place turning for home, but found plenty up the straight to collar the favourite and score by three-quarters of a length.

Troy Cullen, representing the winning stable, said: "Being a stayer they probably went fast enough for him early on, but maybe they went a little too fast and the pace didn’t hold up. We're very hopeful he will continue to improve."

Whip bans

Following the running of the 2m½f handicap hurdle won by the Tony Martin-trained Aurea Fortuna, the raceday stewards issued Liam McKenna with an eight-day ban for careless riding on Battle of Ridgeway, while Sean Cleary-Farrell received a two-day ban for the same offence on Miss Dishy.

McKenna received the longer ban as it was his third offence, while it was a first misdemeanour for Cleary-Farrell.

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