Trainer Profile

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Des McDonogh will always be remembered as the trainer of the great Monksfield who won the Champion Hurdle in 1978 and again in 1979. The late-1970’s and early-1980’s were generally considered a golden era for two-mile hurdlers, with Sea Pigeon, Night Nurse and Monksfield each winning two Champion Hurdles in that period. Monksfield had a battling attitude to rival any horse and it served him exceptionally well especially at Cheltenham where his form figures were 2-2-1-1-2. McDonogh began training in 1972 and sent out his first winner early the following year when Muraka, ridden by Alan Ross, won a bumper at Thurles on Thursday, February 1st. He also enjoyed success with the likes of Strandfield who won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 1979 and a few years later with Herbert United, who finished runner-up to Kesslin in the Irish Champion Hurdle in 1986 but was awarded the race in the steward's room. Brevet, Assigh Lady and Royal South were smart types Des trained to notable success on the Flat. Des is father to former Flat champion jockey Declan McDonogh.