Direction gives Manning a treble

Kevin Manning recorded a treble at Leopardstown tonight and Jim Bolger a double when New Direction bounced back to winning ways in the Manguard Plus Handicap.

The New Approach gelding was another well backed winner on the evening having been supported from 8/1 in the morning into 4/1 on course.

He sat behind the leaders in the ten furlong contest before Manning asked his mount to take closer order passing the three pole.

The five-year-old hit the front a furlong-and-a-half from home and kept on well in the closing stages to beat Song Of Namibia by two-and-a-half lengths.

New Direction had won at Gowran on his penultimate start but was a disappointing favourite at the Curragh on his most recent outing.

“He’s in good shape at the minute and is entered again (at Down Royal on Saturday),” said Bolger.

“He’s also in the sales at Tattersalls next month, and would make a good top of the ground horse for the east.”

Manning and Bolger had earlier teamed up with promising newcomer Theobald while the jockey had also claimed the opener on the Patrick Prendergast-trained Red Persian

(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)