New Approach's Mac Swiney Takes the Futurity Trophy

Saturday was unofficially Jim Bolger day, with his breeding operation excelling with two group 1 successes and a trio of pattern-race wins across three countries. Chief among them was Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who sported the family silks as he carried off an attritional renewal of Doncaster's G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy. As the ground deteriorated on Town Moor, the race which has so often been a key pointer to the following season's Classics lost a vital player with Ballydoyle withdrawing the likely favourite Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). What resulted was a survival-of-the-fittest encounter and the leading pugilist was one of Bolger's already battle-hardened juveniles as Mac Swiney proved he had the requisite amount of class and stamina combined. Trading at 12-1 having run eighth in The Curragh's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. last time, the G2 Futurity S. winner tracked the G3 Autumn S. winner and 6-4 favourite One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) as Cobh (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) pressed on at the front. Apparently booked for a place only as Baradar (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) took over travelling smoothly passing two out, the chestnut was only halfway through his day's graft and his travails paid off as he wore down that rival inside the final 200 yards. At the line, he had 3/4 of a length to spare over One Ruler, with the non-staying Baradar fading to be 2 1/4 lengths back in third. “Go back to his Futurity win and put a line through his last run and he was a leading player,” winning rider Kevin Manning said. “When he won the Futurity it was soft, although not as testing at this, and the extra furlong was always going to suit him. He's a real three-year-old in the making and I think when he steps up in trip next year with another winter under his belt you'll see the real horse.”

In a feat of foresight which is hardly surprising given that we are talking about Irish racing's talisman Jim Bolger, the homebred was coming to England to conquer the day before the 100th anniversary of the death by hunger strike of Irish playwright and politician Terence Macswiney. “I must have known he was good back in January when I called him Mac Swiney, as it wouldn't have been good to name him after such an important Cork man if he wasn't capable of delivering,” quipped his owner-breeder. “He was one of our outstanding patriots and I'm thrilled for his memory and for his extended family.” Introduced in the seven-furlong Curragh maiden won by TDN Rising Star Hudson River (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) June 28, Mac Swiney was fifth keeping smart company with Wembley ending up third. When they re-engaged over the same course and distance July 18, it was the Bolger representative who held the bragging rights as he dealt Wembley a 1 1/2-length defeat only to flop when ninth in the G3 Tyros S. at Leopardstown Aug. 6. Getting the better of Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) when 28-1 for the Futurity back at The Curragh Aug. 22, he was again off piste in the National Sept. 13 but was back on his A-game on his first try at this trip that was always going to prove a perfect fit.

“To use the cliche, he ticks all the boxes and certainly does so after today,” added Bolger, who had just watched the juvenile he also bred but sold, Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), win the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. “I was hoping he could win, as he's been improving steadily over the last six weeks and I thought he'd get through the ground today. I bought the third dam [Amoura (Northfields)] for $4,000 in America after both The Aga Khan and Khalid Abdullah had finished with her. I've been regarding him as my Derby horse since he first went to the races and I'm not about to change that opinion. Five minutes earlier, we had another group 1 winner at Saint-Cloud and it is down to the brilliant staff I have both at the farm and at the training centre.”

Inbred 2×3 to Galileo (Ire), Mac Swiney is out of the unraced Halla Na Saoire (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who is a full-sister to the G2 Derrinstown Derby Trial winner and G1 Irish Derby third Light Heavy (Ire) and a half to Halla Siamsa (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) who produced a trio of black-type performers by Teofilo headed by the surprise G1 Dewhurst S. hero Parish Hall (Ire). The aforementioned Amoura is also the ancestress of the Listed Curragh S. winner An Ghalanta (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who is in turn the dam of this year's Listed Empress S. winner Time Scale (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). Halla Na Saoire's as-yet unnamed yearling colt is by Vocalised.

Saturday, Doncater, Britain
VERTEM FUTURITY TROPHY S.-G1, £215,000, Doncaster, 10-24, 2yo, 8fT, 1:41.98, hy.
1–MAC SWINEY (IRE), 127, c, 2, by New Approach (Ire)
1st Dam: Halla Na Saoire (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Siamsa, by Quest for Fame (GB)
3rd Dam: Amoura, by Northfields
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger; J-Kevin Manning. £127,280. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 6-3-0-0, $243,958. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–One Ruler (Ire), 127, c, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Fintry (Ire), by Shamardal. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £48,139.
3–Baradar (Ire), 127, c, 2, Muhaarar (GB)–Go Lovely Rose (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). (260,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Knocktoran Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £24,059.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 12.00, 1.50, 9.00.
Also Ran: Cobh (Ire), State of Rest (Ire), Emperor Supreme (Ire), Megallan (GB), King Vega (GB). Scratched: Wembley (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.