Bunairgead scores emphatic win

Bunairgead’s emphatic win in the listed Lenabane Stakes proved the highlight of a double for trainer Jim Bolger before a huge crowd in Roscommon last night.

The daughter of New Approach travelled well on the heels of the leaders before bursting through to lead a furlong and a half from home and staying on strongly to beat El Salvador by two and three-quarter lengths. Bolger’s filly was confidently handled by Rory Cleary, who won this traditional feature of Roscommon’s flat season on Princess Nala in 2007, and, seizing the opportunity, caused by the filly carrying 8-6, which is below stable-jockey Kevin Manning’s racing weight.

Clear explained in the winner’s enclosure: “She travelled great. Everything happened for her through the race and I got the split at just the right time. She quickened up and put the race to bed quickly. She was stepping-up from ten furlongs and, once she got into her rhythm, she settled and brought me through the race very well. It was all very straight-forward.”