Paso Doble and Kevin Manning © Photo Healy Racing
Paso Doble (9/2) looks a horse to keep on the right side of after landing the Discover Boyne Valley Handicap in the hands of Kevin Manning.
A strapping son of Dawn Approach, the Godolphin-owned winner had scored at 40/1 on his seasonal reappearance at Roscommon and travelled a bit more smoothly on this occasion.
Having tracked the leaders, he came through to lead inside the final quarter-mile and idled a bit in front as he beat the 3/1 favourite Lafayette by three and a quarter lengths, with the front-running Out On Friday (12/1) back in third.
It was Manning’s 27th winner the campaign.
Ger Flynn, assistant to winning trainer Jim Bolger (30th winner of the season), said: “He’s a big frame of a horse. He ran early on as a two-year-old and we always thought he had ability but he’s just taken time to develop. He was immature and is just growing up now.
“He handled the conditions well and the trip wasn’t a problem. He’s entered in Killarney at the weekend (choice of entries over 1m3f and 1m6f).”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
