Classic winner Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) will skip an intended start in Sunday's G1 Prix du Moulin and instead line up in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown on Sept. 11, trainer Jim Bolger revealed on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast. It will mark the first time the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero will try a distance beyond a mile. Since his Royal Ascot win in the St James's Palace S., the Bolger homebred was runner-up in the G1 Qatar Sussex S. on July 28 and filled that spot again behind Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 15. Bolger opted for the longer race due to the expected ground conditions.
“I've got the weather forecast for the week, [and] while it's going to rain, I don't think it will be enough to produce soft ground, so I'm taking a chance and at this stage we're saying we're going to Leopardstown,” he told Nick Luck's podcast. “[I was tempted to run in France] because I thought Leopardstown might get more rain, but I'm reasonably satisfied now that the going will be ok at Leopardstown.
“I'm not thinking about which is tough, I'm just going for which race I think suits best on the day. I'm not concerned about who goes where–I'm only concerned about the going.”
Poetic Flare would have clashed with Shadwell's unbeaten Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the Moulin, who is trying Group 1 company for the first time at ParisLongchamp for William Haggas.
“I can't be sure [10 furlongs will suit better than a mile], but weighing up all the considerations, it's been fairly easy for me to opt for Leopardstown,” the trainer added.
“If you want to look at the financial side, the winner in Longchamp would take home about €250,000, which is not inconsiderable, and at Leopardstown it will be almost €700,000 I reckon. As someone who has to run the sport come business in a reasonably financial manner, Leopardstown makes more appeal.
“Leopardstown is home as well and we don't have to spend €80,000 on an aeroplane so for that reason, Leopardstown was a no-brainer but then I had to consider the going. They are the only considerations, I'm not concerned about who else is going there as long as there's room for us.”
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