Michael Kinane failed to win on his first ride in 26 days at Naas last night, yet, after partnering Molly-O into fourth in the mile handicap, the champion jockey quipped: "It wasn't a winner but it felt like one!"
Kinane had been denied the chance of an earlier winner as the likely favourite, Freud, was declared a non-runner less than an hour before its intended start after being found lame on its off-foreleg in the stable yard.
Kinane's recuperation from the persistent back trouble he has suffered since the Irish Derby weekend now leaves him clear to ride the odds-on favourite Montjeu in Saturday's King George at Ascot.
The jockey had ridden work for the previous three mornings after visiting England last week for several days of treatment, but last night's ride will be a valuable confidence booster to Kinane.
Molly-O travelled in third place for much of the race but, like the rest of the field, couldn't get anywhere near the pace-setting Monitor who bounded home by three-and-a-half lengths.
"That's a long time coming," sighed Monitor's trainer Ger Lyons, who bought the gelding out of Henry Cecil's yard at the Newmarket sales in 1998.
"You could bring any horse in the country to work with him and he'd beat them, but he's not the most honest and doesn't do it on the track.
"He cost a lot of money - I don't want to tell you how much - but he'd been taking Dr Fong off the bridle at home. Maybe it was naive to think I could improve him off Henry, but he should have done this a long time ago," said Lyons. "All he has to do now is win 500 of these to make up the price!" Freud's defection meant Caeribland started favourite for the six furlong maiden, and she didn't let her supporters down when beating Ameras into second for in-form rider Eddie Ahern.
"She frightened the life out of me after she got a kick going to the start," said the filly's trainer, James Burns. "But the vet was happy to let her run. The stable seems to be hitting a bit of form." Ahern had teamed up with Dermot Weld to win with Pine Dance in Chicago on Sunday, and the Curragh trainer was also on the mark courtesy of another favourite in Last Call in the five furlong maiden.
"Pine Dance will be back home tomorrow but will then fly over to America again in three weeks for the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington," reported Weld.
Polish Panache started a 1 to 4 favourite for the apprentice maiden but got run out of it by Benovia, who was a third winner for 21-year-old Jayne Mulqueen.
