By Tom Frary
One of only two unraced 3-year-old colts still holding a 2000 Guineas entry, Jim Bolger's homebred Wexford Native (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) demonstrated why with a taking success at Navan on Tuesday to earn TDN Rising Star status. Drawn widest in 21, the 5-1 shot was keen for Kevin Manning tracking over to eventually shadow Ballydoyle's forward-ridden Sun King (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). As that 7-4 favourite turned the screw in the straight, Wexford Native kept tabs and after edging ahead two out strode out impressively to beat that rival by 2 1/2 lengths. In a maiden with smart formlines, there was another 2 3/4-length margin back to Ceallach (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in third.
Manning was taken by Bolger's first winner of the new season. “It was a tough call to overcome being drawn 21 and get across. I think he has got a big future,” he said. “He was always travelling and getting a tow. When I went to the front, he was just having a look and when I joined Ryan he was just running away a bit from him. He was just very, very green. He has been showing us some nice work at home and he was last year as well, but he was just a big backward horse. I think a mile to a mile and a quarter, he's pretty versatile because he showed plenty of pace to get across from 21.”
Wexford Native's unraced dam Yes Oh Yes (Gone West), who was a $250,000 purchase at the 2008 Keeneland September Sale, is a half to the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial runner-up and stakes producer Aaroness (Distorted Humor) and to the GIII Boiling Springs S. runner-up Sumba Sunset (Street Cry {Ire}). Under the similarly unraced third dam Lady Lady (Little Current) are a clutch of stakes winners including Grace and Power (More Than Ready), who was runner-up in the GI Hollywood Starlet S. She in turn produced the G1 Darley Classic hero Delectation (Aus) (Shamardal) and is also the second dam of last year's G1 Blue Diamond S. hero Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) who is bound for Royal Ascot in June. Yes Oh Yes also has a yearling colt by Dawn Approach (Ire).
7th-Navan, €12,000, Mdn, 3-29, 3yo/up, c/g, 8fT, 1:42.66, gd.
WEXFORD NATIVE (IRE), c, 3, by Teofilo (Ire)
1st Dam: Yes Oh Yes, by Gone West
2nd Dam: Diamonds for Lil, by Summer Squall
3rd Dam: Lady Lady, by Little Current
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $7,910. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
