Parish Hall shows his class

Parish Hall (7/4) tracked market rival Afonso De Sousa all the way in the Group 3 Diamond Stakes before getting on top at the furlong pole and going on to win by a length and a quarter.

Jim Bolger’s four-year-old had been a Group 1 winner at two when he secured the Dewhurst in October 2011. He didn’t reappear until April this year when taking the Listed Alleged Stakes. A third in the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes was delivered in May before he ran fourth to The Fugue in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes last month.

Ger Flynn, travelling head lad, said: “Kevin (Manning) said he was delighted with him. He said he travelled really well and handled the surface well.

“Kevin says he wasn’t sure where he will go. They’ll try and find a race for him in the Autumn. He said he went by Joseph very easily and pricked his ears when he got to the front. Manalapan at 40/1 stayed on strongly to get past Afonso De Sousa (5/4f) for second, by three parts of a length.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson