Jim Bolger has encouraged breeders and racing fans alike to pay a visit to his Classic-winning homebred Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) at the Irish National Stud and promised 'they won't be disappointed' by what they see.
The two-day Irish Stallion Trail kicks off on Friday and Bolger is backing Mac Swiney to go down a bomb. The legendary trainer also revealed that he plans on supporting the Group 1-winning two-year-old and Irish 2,000 Guineas hero with 20 mares in his first season at stud.
Bolger said, “He's the new kid on the block and he'll be a big attraction. Anybody who goes and sees him on the Irish Stallion Trail, they definitely won't be disappointed.”
He added, “I've 20 mares lined up for Mac Swiney. He's a very meaningful horse to us. We knew from the time he arrived here first that he was special. He's such a good looker. He looked like a real one even from the time he was foaled. Looks-wise, he never disappointed and I'd be very disappointed if he didn't go down well.”
Mac Swiney showed top-class form as a juvenile by taking out the G1 Futurity S. on his final start at two. He built on that promise at three when taking the scalp of his stablemate Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in the Irish 2,000 Guineas before finishing an honourable third in the G1 British Champion S. over 10 furlongs later that season.
With that in mind, Bolger says he is confident that Mac Swiney can appeal to every facet of the market and that he is fairly priced at an opening fee of €8,000.
Bolger explained, “The sprinter/miler types are the ones that are most sought after in the sales ring and Mac Swiney falls into that category being a Group 1 winner at two and a Classic-winning miler at three. I'd be confident that that's the way he will be viewed. If that is the case, I think he'll go very well at stud. I think he's great value and I wouldn't have it otherwise because breeders, now more so than ever, deserve a break. I think he's proper value at that money.”
He added, “Along with his top performances at two and three, he's a great looker with the most wonderful temperament. They are going to find it very easy to manage him at the Irish National Stud.”
It didn't always appear likely that Mac Swiney would be available for Irish or even European breeders. Bolger revealed that there were offers, one in particular to abroad which piqued interests, but in the end, a deal was brokered with the Irish National Stud where Mac Swiney will stand alongside fellow Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Phoenix Of Spain (Ire), Invincible Spirit (Ire), Lucky Vega (Ire), Nando Parado (GB), Equiano (Fr) and Elusive Pimpernel.
Bolger said, “I got a very good offer from abroad and he nearly went away but I wasn't happy about it. Ken [Bolger], my nephew who runs Redmonstown Stud, approached the Irish National Stud and they had a deal wrapped up fairly quickly.”
Mac Swiney's dam Halle Na Saoire (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is a full-sister to the Group 2 winner Light Heavy (Ire) and he represents a family that Bolger has been involved with since 1994. Amoura (Northfields), then an 11-year-old mare who had produced seven foals and just one winner at the time, was snapped up by Bolger for just $5,000 at Keeneland.
She would go on to breed Siamsa (Quest For Fame {GB}), the dam of Light Heavy, but more importantly, Halla Na Saoire (Ire), who went on to produce Mac Swiney.
Not only that, but Halla Na Saoire is also by one of Bolger's most famous homebreds, Teofilo (Ire), so you could say this latest Classic-winning stallion prospect is a Bolger special in every sense of the word.
He concluded, “It's a family that started out with the Aga Khan followed by Prince Khalid Abdullah and now it's the Irish National Stud and myself. It's very exciting to see him off to stud and I'm confident that he will go down very well.”
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