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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

First and last-race double for Manning

Mon 9th May 2022, 20:09

Kevin Manning dives Darraby homeKevin Manning dives Darraby home
© Photo Healy Racing

Kevin Manning booted home a Roscommon double on board 20/1 Darraby in the concluding Castlerea Handicap.

The handicap debutant improved to lead entering the straight but was strongly pressed by Breakintheclouds a furlong and a half down.

The latter headed him coming to the final furlong but Darraby was tough in the closing stages as he battled back to lead.

The joint top-weight won going away by two and a quarter lengths. Aghaboy kept on for second at 9/1 as Breakintheclouds (20/1) dropped to third.

Trainer Brendan Duke said: “He's an absolutely smashing young horse. You are going to hear an awful lot more about him.

"He's by a champion young sire in Japan called Danon Ballade, who is by Deep Impact.

“He's little but he is seriously tough, genuine, talented and 100 per cent sound.”

Manning also took the opener on Jim Bolger's Comhra (4/5f). The double paid just under 37/1.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
20/1
Tote €21.00 €4.90
2nd
2.25L
9/1
€1.80
3rd
0.5L
20/1
€6.20
4th
5L
66/1
bf
nk
7/2JFav
bf
7L
7/2JFav
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.