Bolger bosses opening day of Flat season
Bolger saddled a superb four-timer — three of his winners partnered by stable-jockey Kevin Manning — most notably Saburo, which landed the two-year-old maiden won last year by subsequent European champion two-year-old and 2,000 Guineas favourite Dawn Approach, while Rory Cleary seized his opportunity on board Rehn’s Nest.
Always prominent under Cleary, Rehn’s Nest edged past front-running More Than Scotka before staying on well to hold odds-on favourite Yellow Rosebud by a length and three-quarters.
“She gets through that ground, which is a big help,” said Bolger. “Her dam is by Galileo and was one of his first winners. I think this filly will stay a mile and a half. She’s in the Oaks and I’m pretty sure she’s in the Irish Guineas. She handles that ground but is not ground dependent.”
Saburo kicked-off the new campaign in style, completing a hat-trick in the Tally-Ho Stud 2-Y-0 Maiden for Coolcullen and stretching clear in the final furlong to slam My Sapphire and Ballydoyle hope Stubbs in the style of an exciting prospect.
The winning trainer paid tribute to his staff for their tremendous work through the winter, stating: “They never missed an hour with him. I like this colt and, if you were a punter, I’d tell you to follow him until he gets beaten.”
Bolger hinted that Saburo is likely to follow a similar path to Dawn Approach, at least for the first half of the season.
The Bolger/Manning partnership struck again when Caesaria battled tenaciously to pip Aidan O’Brien’s fellow newcomer Master Speaker in the six-furlong Big Bad Bob Maiden.
Bolger commented: “He knuckled down well and Kevin said he handled the ground well. I think he’ll handle any ground and will get a mile well. We’ll step him up now, probably into a listed race.”
While Manning missed out on Rehn’s Nest’s Group 3 success (she carried 8-9), he completed a personal treble and rounded-off the Coolcullen four-timer when the well-backed Alpinist made most of the running and battled courageously to land the concluding mile maiden, initially shaking off the attentions of the favourite Piet Mondrian and then holding Silver Lightening by a half-length.
“He’s hardy and is going the right way, “said Bolger. “He’ll appreciate better ground and we’ll step him up in trip. He might go for one of the Derby trials.”
On a day when he worked over seventy horses after racing and confirmed a five-strong team for Dubai next Saturday, Aidan O’Brien salvaged a single winner, when 11/10 favourite Francis Of Assisi landed the Gabriel Curran Memorial Madrid Handicap in convincing fashion.
The Danehill Dancer colt, wearing cheekpieces, won impressively by almost four lengths, giving the impression that he’s more than a handicapper.
O’Brien said: “He disappointed the first day. But Joseph suggested putting cheekpieces on him in Naas and he won well. He wasn’t on a bad mark and is a nice horse. He’s well-bred and, hopefully, is more than a handicapper. We’ll have to step him up in class and see where he can go.”
Johnny Murtagh made the perfect start to the new season when partnering Sweet Lightning, trained by Tommy Carmody, to a historic victory in the €100,000 BetVictor Irish Lincoln, the first horse to win both the English and Irish Lincolns.
Murtagh, a key figure in Carmody’s training operation for owner Andrew Tinkler, won the English Lincoln on Sweet Lightning (when trained by Michael Dods) two years ago. The Fantastic Light gelding completed the Lincoln double here in emphatic style, forging clear to slam Cheval Rouge by there and three-quarter lengths,
A man of few words, Carmody commented: “This horse improved tremendously over the winter and, hopefully, he’ll progress again from here. He might come back here for a listed race (the ten-furlong Alleged Stakes) in two weeks, or go to Leopardstown for the Heritage Stakes.”
Curragh trainer Paul Deegan might consider a crack at the listed Cork Stakes in Mallow on Saturday for Srucahan following his gutsy win under Chris Hayes in the six-furlong Macaris Supporting The Kildare Rose Handicap.
The Kheleyf gelding proved a length and a half too strong for top-weight Joe Eile prompting Deegan to comment: “He’s a progressive little sprinter and is going the right way. He sharpened up a lot over the winter and, mentally, is in a real good place. I still can’t figure out how I didn’t win with him as a two-year-old.
“As long as the ground stays soft, we’ll keep him going, give him a break for the summer — if we get one — and come back in the autumn. His owners will be keen to get some black type for him, so we might look at Cork next weekend.”
The Tommy Stack-trained Bird’s Eye View started 11/8 favourite but trailed in last of the seven runners after Fran Berry’s saddle slipped before halfway.
