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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Bolger & Manning double-up with Pirolo

Sun 23rd Apr 2017, 18:02

Pirolo and Kevin Manning (leading) lead home Zamira and Billy LeePirolo and Kevin Manning (leading) lead home Zamira and Billy Lee
© Photo Healy Racing

Pirolo landed a gamble in the concluding Come To The Family Day May 20th Handicap, providing Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning with a 104/1 double.

Bolger and Manning were earlier successful with Vociferous Marina at 20/1, and Pirolo was also available at fancy prices this morning (as big as 16's), before he was well-backed, touching 7/2 on-course, before going off the 4/1 favourite.

Settled behind the leaders in third, the successful chestnut son of Teofilo improved into second with three furlongs left to race.

He was ridden to challenge the leader Zamira from the two furlong pole, edging to the front inside the final furlong, before going on to prevail by a neck.

Zamira (12's to 8's) battled gamely once headed, but she ultimately had to settle for second under Billy Lee for Willie McCreery. Chocolat Noir ran on well to take third, a further half a length back under Connor King for Johnny Murtagh at 8/1.

Jim Bolger said afterwards: "I thought he ran well in bad ground in Mallow and felt the run would bring him on a bit. The better ground also made a difference.

"He'll make someone a nice hurdler. He's uncomplicated and you can go anywhere in a race with him which always helps.

"He has also run well at Dundalk in the past so that's a possibility for him."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
4/1Fav
Tote €5.20 €1.80
2nd
nk
8/1
€3.50
3rd
0.5L
8/1
€3.00
4th
shd
14/1
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.