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Punchestown 2024
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- First and last-race double for Manning
Michael Graham
First and last-race double for Manning
Kevin 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