Jim Bolger

   Leopardstown's G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial has a considerable reputation as one of the leading preps for Epsom's blue riband, so it is a surprise that no horse since 2002 has won both this 10-furlong contest and the English Classic. That could change this year, with the current Derby looking a wide-open affair at present and Jim Bolger holding the aces in the 3-year-old colt department. Fresh from winning the G1 2000 Guineas with Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) last Saturday, the master of Coolcullen saddles Mac Swiney...

Master horseman Jim Bolger may have been ensconced in Ireland during this weekend's Guineas Festival, but his influence was felt far and wide across the Rowley Mile. The fact that Bolger bred, trained and raced the 2000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire})-in addition to the small feat of breeding his sire and first two dams and training his grandsire and third dam-has been well documented in the following days. But Bolger's fingerprints were likewise on the G1 1000 Guineas the next day: he had trained the winner...

Eight years on from the G1 2000 Guineas success of Dawn Approach (Ire), Jim Bolger's Poetic Flare (Ire) proved every bit as tough and resilient as his sire was dominant when outbattling Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in a thrilling renewal of the QIPCO-sponsored Newmarket Classic on Saturday. Positioned close enough to the furious tempo set by Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) from the outset, the 16-1 shot was at the fore alongside the eventual runner-up as they reeled in that pacemaker a furlong from home with Lucky...

Back at the Leopardstown venue at which he had won the G3 Killavullan S. in October, Jim Bolger's homebred Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) proved best in Sunday's Listed Ballylinch Stud "Red Rocks" 2000 Guineas Trial S. Sent off the 3-1 second favourite, the bay was quickly in an ideal spot in second under Kevin Manning and when committed approaching the furlong pole gave generously to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Ace Aussie (Ire) (Australia {GB}), with Monaasib (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) a short head away in third. "He...

Though 2020 will go down as a dreadful year for many, it can be regarded as an annus mirablilis for Darley stallion Teofilo (Ire). To an extent, every son of Galileo (Ire) at stud has to make do with seeking glimmers of light within the long shadow cast by the 12-time champion sire. Last year, Teofilo came closest of any stallion to Galileo's tally of Group 1 winners by being responsible for six of his own, in France, Germany, Australia and Hong Kong. Now 17, Teofilo also played a lead...

The Juveniles The dark clouds had gathered come Ireland's opening turf fixture of the year at Naas in March, with the meeting held behind closed doors and giving rise to now customary scenes. As the curtain was raised, an oft-repeated sketch unfolded with Jim Bolger homebred Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) annexing the first juvenile event of the year, a feat which the trainer had previously achieved on multiple occasions including with Poetic Flare's sire in 2012. Normal service resumed but, then again, not. The global pandemic soon tightened...

The new yearling section of the Tattersalls Ireland November Flat Foal and Breeding Stock Sale provided the highlight lots during the rescheduled single-session sale at Fairyhouse on Wednesday, with a pair of fillies leading the way. Taking top honors at yet another yearling auction in 2020 was a Jim Bolger-bred, this time a Dawn Approach (Ire) filly out of the placed My Fere Lady (Mr Greeley) who was bought by Clongan House for €45,000. Her 3-year-old full-sister Feminista (Ire) is the lone winner from three runners for the mare. The...

To breed four 2-year-old stakes winners within a week would be a landmark accomplishment for anyone. For Jim Bolger, however, it merely scratches the surface of what he accomplished the past two Saturdays as a breeder, owner and trainer. Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) got things going on Oct. 17 at Leopardstown with a win in the G3 Killavullan S. Bolger bred not only Poetic Flare but his first two dams and his sire, and raced them all in the white and purple silks of his wife Jackie Bolger,...

Bred by Jim Bolger and trained by a Brit who stands comparison in Mark Johnston, Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) had all the right credentials on a special afternoon for Redmondstown Stud and duly made all for G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud glory. Tough and resilient when successful in the seven-furlong G3 Acomb S. at York Aug. 19 before finishing fourth in Newmarket's G2 Royal Lodge S. tackling a mile Sept. 26, the Teme Valley 2 syndicate's €52,000 Goffs Orby bargain relished this step up to 10 furlongs in testing conditions...

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...

In the immediate aftermath of Friday's G3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower S. at The Curragh, there was almost an audible groan from those who failed to take note that Jim Bolger's representative New Treasure (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) was allowed to start at 66-1 in a race that his dam had won on her debut in 2008. In the pattern races for juveniles that have taken place in Britain and Ireland since mid-June, there have been winners at 150-1, 66-1, 66-1, 33-1, 14-1 and 28-1 with the latter being...

It was about time for another Jim Bolger star to come forward and Saturday saw his outsider Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) duly prevail to put Coolcullen back in the headlines in The Curragh's G2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity S. Hardly advertising his claims when ninth in Leopardstown's G3 Tyros S. over this seven-furlong trip Aug. 6, the 28-1 shot was the subject of a no-nonsense ride from Kevin Manning tracking Ballydoyle's pacemaker Ontario (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) throughout. With that 20-1 shot refusing to give up on the lead,...