Vintage Manning: three rides to savour in a star-studded career

Kevin Manning hung up his riding boots on Monday after steering Vocal Studies to victory at Galway. Always recognised for his strength in a finish, here we look at three vintage rides on high-stakes occasions.

Alexandra Goldrun, 2004 Prix de l’Opera

Manning was associated with several top-class fillies, including Finsceal Beo and Lush Lashes, but for turn of foot neither could match Alexander Goldrun, whose Group 1 successes spanned Britain, Ireland, France and Hong Kong.

Noel O'Callaghan's daughter of Gold Away earned £1.9 million in a career which encompassed five top-level successes – not to mention her agonising defeat by Ouija Board in the 2006 Nassau Stakes – and all are worthy of consideration. But for sheer refusal to panic, the ride she got from Manning at Longchamp on Arc day in 2004 takes some beating.

Last turning out of the false straight and held in by Thierry Gillet on Vallera, he took Alexandra Goldrun for a daring run up the rail before angling out just before the furlong marker to beat the classy Grey Lilas by a length and pulling away.

New Approach, 2008 Irish Champion Stakes

New Approach had an extraordinary summer and autumn in 2008, bouncing back from the disappointments of defeat by Henrythenavigator in the Newmarket and Curragh 2,000 Guineas to win the Derby and two Champion Stakes.

Epsom was far from straightforward as Manning found himself tight for space at every turn before finding room on the rail, while at Newmarket in the Champion he merely followed his pacemaker before blowing his rivals away.

At Leopardstown, it was the rider who made the difference as Manning set his mount alight turning into the straight and used every ounce of his renowned strength to hold off the closers. Little more than an hour earlier, he had driven home Lush Lashes to beat Nahoodh and Halfway To Heaven in a desperately tight finish to the Matron Stakes.

Dawn Approach, 2013 2,000 Guineas

Manning had a phenomenal record on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile, as evidenced by five wins in the Dewhurst and Derby winner New Approach’s devastating display in the 2008 Champion Stakes.

Classified stakes runner-up Glory Awaits (blue blinkers) chases home Dawn Approach in the 2013 2000 GuineasCredit: Mark Cranham

But it was his pair of wins in the 2,000 Guineas which perhaps stand out, with Dawn Approach’s thunderous performance in running away from another crack miler Toronado and outsider Glory Awaits the pick.

Manning and Dawn Approach matched strides with Toronado through the first five furlongs as stablemate Leir Mor took the field along before ratcheting up the pressure running into the Dip and breaking his rivals with a relentless display of galloping.

After virtually boiling over when trying a mile and a half in the Derby, Dawn Approach and Manning showed themselves to be resolute once again when bouncing back to beat Toronado again in the St James's Palace Stakes at Ascot.

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