Curragh strike for Bolger

Jim Bolger’s Move To Strike got off the mark at the second attempt with an impressive display in the Alfred Nobel European Breeders Fund Maiden at the Curragh.

The juvenile was sent off the heavily supported 4-6 favourite on the strength of his debut third at Leopardstown last month and it was clear from the halfway stage that he had each of six rivals in trouble.

Kevin Manning asked his mount to stretch clear passing the furlong marker and he did so in some style, quickening right away in the rain-softened ground to score by nine lengths.

Debutant Slope finished best of the rest, but was not in the same league as the runaway victor.

Bolger said: ``He was impressive and he came on from his run at Leopardstown. We'll play it by ear with him now.''

John Oxx’s Takar benefited from a super-cool ride from Johnny Murtagh when taking the honours in the Dylan Thomas European Breeders Fund Tetrarch Stakes.

The 5-4 favourite was making his three-year-old debut, having impressed on his final juvenile start at Leopardstown, and did not disappoint.

Murtagh was happy to sit last for the majority of the journey and still had each of his opponents in front of him heading inside the final furlong.

But he clearly knew how much horse he had underneath him and once angled out wide, Takar soon picked up and struck the front, scoring by a cosy length and a quarter.

Coolnagree did not have the best of passages but finished off strongly to grab the runner-up spot.

Oxx said: ``He won well considering he's had a few setbacks. He was laid-up for a short while after his win in October and then for another three weeks in February.

“He’s done well to get here but I couldn’t say he lacked for fitness.

“I was worried about the heavy ground but I’d suppose it wasn’t the toughest field.

“He’s a talented fella and we’ll try him at a mile now with the Irish (2000) Guineas likely to be his next run.”