Manning banned for four days

KEVIN MANNING will miss the prestigious two-day Irish Guineas meeting at the Curragh later this month after incurring the wrath of the Killarney Stewards on the concluding day of the May meeting yesterday.

Manning was banned for four days (May 22nd-25th) after he was found to have used his whip with excessive force and frequency on the Jim Bolger-trained River Project, which fought out a titanic finish with market rival, Vincitore and Pat Smullen in the three runner Great Southern Hotel Maiden, only to be denied by a neck.

"I wouldn't rule out an appeal in the next 48 hours," said a dejected Manning who had expected to team up with the filly Azra in the Airlie Coolmore 1,000 Guineas and Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial winner, Lil's Boy in the Lexus Irish 2,000 Guineas on May 24th and 25th.

Winning trainer Ger Cusack said: "I couldn't believe the field cut up to just three runners from 15 entries and that was a nice bonus. I entered him here to give him a change as I plan to run him in a handicap hurdle at Down Royal on the 30th of this month. He's won on the flat and over hurdles there."

Willie Mullins, who saddled Ballylennon Mist to coast home under Shane Kelly in the Seamus Weldon Apprentice Claiming Race, completed a double when the gambled-on, Quite Chuffed recorded a snug success in the Baileys Irish Cream Handicap. Murtagh, who brought the favourite wide throughout, travels to Saint Cloud in France on Friday to partner the John Oxx-trained, Key Change in the

Group 2 Prix Jean De Chaundenay.

Francis Woods and Joe Casey, whose respective mounts finished in the frame behind Una's Choice and Francis Flood in the Menevier Handicap Chase, were also in trouble with the officials for the use of the whip. Woods was banned for five days after Ryhane finished third, while Casey, who chased home the Francis Flood-trained winner, was stood down for three days.

Charlie Swan forged ahead of outsider, Truckinabout after the last flight to land the Lake Hotel Hurdle on the Aidan O'Brien-trained Bawnrock. After dismounting the champion revealed: "I nearly fell off him on the flat when he ducked in the early stages and lost an iron for a few strides but he did everything right after that."