Bolger gives thanks to Margarula
Jim Bolger drew back the years when saddling Margarula to spring a 33-1 surprise and deny the odds-on favourite Quarter Moon in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
Taking a significant step up in grade in her stride, the daughter of Doyoun was relegating Quarter Moon (4-5) to the runner-up berth at Classic level for the third time on the trot when producing a superior change of gear to win by a length.
For winning jockey Kevin Manning, it was an overdue success at this level and he shared in the occasion with his mother-in-law Jackie Bolger wife of the Coolcullen trainer.
Successful in three handicaps before this major pay-day in the €400,000 Darley promotion, Margarula was ‘‘always travelling well’’ according to Manning who admitted that the game-plan with his mount was to run into a place.
‘‘I dropped her in towards the back to run a big race and hopefully get placed at the finish. I told Jim that I thought the extra two furlongs would suit her well after we were a close fourth here last month behind Trash in the Pretty Poly Stakes,’’ Manning explained.
Both the winner and the favourite Quarter Moon were very keen going to post, but that did not prevent them from dominating the closing stages with Lady’s Secret from the Barry Hills stable doing best of the four British raiders in third,but six lengths behind the principals.
Supporters of Quarter Moon must have been counting their money momentarily at least when Michael Kinane sent the Irish 1000 Guineas and Vodafone Oaks runner-up to the front two furlongs out, but no sooner did that look a winning gambit then Margarula appeared on her outer going equally well.
Inside the final furlong Manning forced his mount to the front and they were good value for the length verdict to put Bolger back in the winner’s enclosure in the Irish Oaks for the first time since Give Thanks scored for him in 1983.
‘‘I said beforehand that I had been training for 25 years and could do with a pleasant surprise at this stage. Margarula has given it to me today after getting a peach of a ride from Kevin who saved every inch of ground along the inner,’’ said Bolger.
Bought for just 33,000 guineas, Margarula will now go for the Yorkshire Oaks next month according to Bolger who believes she will be most effective on even better ground than obtained at the Curragh.
Elsewhere on the Curragh card, the $6.4m (€6.4m) purchase Van Nistlerooy made a winning debut for trainer Aidan O’Brien and there were winners for two British trainers with Mark Johnston taking The Minstrel Stakes with Gateman and Awake scoring for David Nicholls in the €100,000 Ladbroke Rockingham Handicap.
