Halimi digs deep for Manning

Halimi showed a good attitude as he battled his way up the climb to the post to land the Eventus 3-y-o Handicap for Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning.

Following up a recent maiden win at the Curragh, the Teofilo colt (7/1) dug deep to defeat Millswyn (6/1) by half a length, with Red Gerry (4/1) three and three quarters of a length further back in third.

The placed horses had a barging match early in the straight, before Millswyn improved to tackle the leader, but Donnacha O’Brien’s mount had to give best late on to the resolute Godolphin-owned winner.

Winning jockey Kevin Manning commented, “He stays very well, and he’s got a good attitude.

"He’s an improving horse.

"It was the same when he won at The Curragh — he toughed it out, and toughed it out, and at the line was right on top — and it was the same again tonight.

“I thought he’d act around here and I was confident.

"The only thing I didn’t want to see is I didn’t want to see the ground getting too slow, but it didn’t. It was a competitive little race, but I was quietly confident.

“He went to the Ulster Harp Derby (fourth to Dadoozart) and was well fancied, Rory (Cleary) rode him that day, but it wasn’t actually a bad run the way the race has turned out.

"But he’s just a horse that’s filling out and he’s improving all the time. I don’t think trip would be an issue. You could step him up, so hopefully there’s a bit more to come.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee