Jim Bolger

With vital course-and-distance experience to call upon, Mark Johnston's Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) proved toughest in a war of attrition to land York's G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. on Wednesday. Successful over this seven-furlong trip on debut July 25, the 9-1 shot was placed prominently by Silvestre de Sousa from the outset and battled gamely to overhaul Spycatcher (Ire) (Vadamos {Fr}) close home. At the line, there was half a length between them, with the long-time leader Broxi (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) three lengths away in third having forced a...

The 2020 Hurling for Cancer Research, the annual charity hurling match between a host of racing, GAA, sports starts and TV personalities, is going virtual for 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Monday. Jim Bolger's and Davy Russell's teams will not line-out in St Conleth's Park on Tuesday, Aug. 11, but a large cadre of celebrities will be on hand via the internet. The participants are: Frankie Dettori, Davy Russell, Lee Chin, Richie Hogan, Ursula Jacob, Marty Morrissey, Ruby Walsh, AP McCoy, Miriam O'Callaghan, Ger...

G1 Irish Derby ARTHUR'S KINGDOM (IRE) (Camelot {GB}-Madeira Mist {Ire}, by Grand Lodge) Bred by Skymarc Farm, Arthur's Kingdom was a €260,000 Goffs Orby yearling purchase by MV Magnier. The G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and G2 King Edward VII S. runner-up is out of the GIII Dance Smartly H. winner Madeira Mist and therefore a three-quarter brother to triple GI Canadian International winner Joshua Tree (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). CHIRICAHUA (IRE) (Camelot {GB}-Dowager {GB}, by Groom Dancer) Bred by Lynch Bages and Rhinestone Bloodstock, Chiricahua was bought by Gaelic Bloodstock for...

And still the arrow holds its course: that perfect blaze, tapered down from the fletching between his eyes until opening into the neatly pointed tip above his nostrils. His whole life has seemed to obey the inexorable momentum implied in that warpaint. Ever onwards, ever upwards. Sure enough, with perhaps the most telling of all his records secured outright by his daughter Peaceful (Ire) in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas on Saturday, Galileo (Ire) maintains his unwavering trajectory even into the evening of his career. With another spring of...

There was unwanted drama during Tuesday's Listed Holden Plant Rental Trial S. at Leopardstown as Ballydoyle's 6-5 favourite Year of the Tiger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) suffered an injury in the home straight. Jim Bolger's unbeaten Ten Year Ticket (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) got up late at 8-1 to deny Aidan O'Brien's other runner King of Athens (War Front) by a neck. Also coming on strong at the end of his Curragh maiden in October when successful at 33-1, the chestnut who was bred at owner Nicky Teehan's Bluegate Stud...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a well-bred son of Uncle Mo debuting in Ireland. 2.00 Naas, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 5fT LIPPIZANER (Uncle Mo) is graced with the duty of being Aidan O'Brien's first 2-year-old runner of the new decade and is suitably adorned as a son of the G1 Schweppes Thousand...

Can the mapping of the horse genome help you to make better breeding decisions? Emmeline Hill is Associate Professor of Equine Science at University College Dublin and, along with trainer Jim Bolger, was the co-founder of Equinome Ltd. She is now Chief Science Officer for the equine science company Plusvital Ltd, a world leader in the development and provision of genetic tests for the international Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding industries. All of which means she's brought science into the equation. Will your horse be a sprinter, a miler or...