KEVIN MANNING closed the gap behind Christy Roche at the head of the flat jockeys table when he partnered a double at Roscommon yesterday evening.

Prospectus, one of about 10 horses that owner Jim Ryan has in training with Jim Bolger, set the ball rolling by making all in the Four Mile House EBF Maiden. The Petorius colt, a creditable third to Tadwiga in the Pounds 100,000 Goffs Challenge last month, was friendless in the market drifting, from 5 to 2 right out to 8 to 1.

Manning's mount looked sure to be swallowed up with a wall of horses bearing down on him approaching the final furlong. But he rallied gamely and held the challenge of Bismarck by half-a-length, with Tittle Tattle just a short-head away in third. There was a stewards inquiry into possible interference inside the final furlong, but the placings remained unaltered.

Manning moved on to the 34 mark, 10 behind Roche, aboard Sea Leopard in the Lenabane Maiden. The Thomond O'Mara-trained gelding was sent to the front a furlong and a half out by Manning, and held the staying-on Diesel Dan by a length.

He is a half-brother to Stately Home and has schooled well over hurdles," said O'Mara. "He will have a couple of outings on the flat at around a mile, probably at Killarney and Galway, before going over timber."

Wayne Smith has enjoyed a tremendous run of success recently, and partnered his sixth winner in the last nine days when getting Cryptic Pattern up in the dying strides to touch of Absent Beauty.

However, there was a sting in the tail for Smith and Seamus Heffernan, who rode the runner-up. Both were given four-day suspensions for excessive use of the whip.

Dermot Weld and David Evans both opened their respective accounts for the new National Hunt season when combining with Troskie in the Ulster Bank Handicap Hurdle.

Mick Easterby led the way on a day of doubles at Musselburgh yesterday when the inform Sheriff Hutton trainer bagged the first and last races with Mill End Quest and Dec Pee Tee Cee. Both horses were powerfully ridden by Terry Lucas and Easterby has now recorded nine winners in the last fortnight.

Mill End Quest landed a real old fashioned touch in the Prestonpans Median Auction Maiden when scoring by two and a half lengths. Backed down from 12 to 1 to half those odds, the filly sprinted away in the hands of the Australian pilot.