Coen bookends card with 48/1 double as Darius Dark takes finale Ben Coen bookended the card at Leopardstown with a first and last race double as Darius Dark followed up a victory at Cork last month in the Breast Cancer Ireland Handicap. The Johnny Murtagh-trained gelding was ridden to lead well over a furlong out and needed to be kept right up to his work to maintain his advantage. The 7/2 shot had half a length to spare at the line over Bay Of Stars with 100/30 favourite Keepsgettingbetter the same distance further back in third. Murtagh said, “He’s a big backward fella. Ben said he was on and off the bridle and he was still green. He’s a bit of a work in progress. “He stays a mile-and-a-half well and it was good to see him perform on that kind of ground as well. “It was a very competitive race; there were a lot of fancied horses in it. He has come on from his last run. The last run really zoned him in and hopefully he can keep progressing through the ranks.” Coen also took the opening 7f maiden aboard Halon Bay (10/1). Quotes by Gary Carson
