Pittori poised to pounce in maiden
Bolger is enjoying a fine campaign and is currently a clear second, behind Aidan O’Brien, in the trainers’ championship.
The Coolcullen handler and Manning could start the ball rolling with once-raced Pittori in the opening Kildare Village EBF Maiden, a contest likely to throw up a number of future winners.
Pittori made an excellent start at Leopardstown earlier in the month when beaten a short head by subsequent Royal Ascot heroine, Elletelle.
The dangers are surely some of the well bred newcomers, such as Aidan O’Brien’s pair Lucifer Sam, by Storm Cat, and the Montjeu colt, Alessandro Volta.
The principal worry, however, could be Dermot Weld’s highly-rated Domestic Fund. He is a Sadler’s Wells full-brother to Refuse To Bend, who won the English 2000 Guineas for the trainer four years ago.
The Listed Saoire Stakes is a similar story, with Bolger’s relatively experienced Saoirse Abu taking on a couple of choicely bred first-timers.
Aidan O’Brien introduces Listen, by Sadler’s Wells, and David Wachman starts off the daughter of Danehill Dancer, Charlotte Bronte.
Saoirse Abu, however, is a solid horse and is the choice. She ran unlucky Royal Ascot runner-up, You’resothrilling, to a length at Naas and that was a smart effort.
A third Bolger-Manning possibility comes in the shape of Bring Back Matron in the Kildare Village Maiden, a weak race for this track.
She’s no great shakes herself, but there was sufficient merit in her latest effort to merit giving Bring Back Matron the nap.
The three-year-old was beaten four lengths and a neck into third behind Vincenzio Galilei and Copper Bell at Navan. Copper Bell boosted the form when scoring at Down Royal last Saturday.
