Jim Bolger ready to punch his weight
Jim Bolger is not a man noted for overlooking details and overlooking his runners in big races can prove to be a costly detail.
It is 18 years since St Jovite won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby by 12 lengths and he had to withdraw his best chance since the 2008 Derby winner New Approach on the eve of the race because of an injury, but he could have two runners in the Curragh Classic this Sunday.
Patience is another hallmark of the Bolger training regime and he has not rushed either Puncher Clynch or Carraiglawn.
Puncher Clynch had a couple of hard battles in April, first to win a handicap on the Polytrack at Dundalk and then to beat At First Sight by a short-head in the Group Three Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown just nine days later. The result was dismissed in terms of quality form at the time because At First Sight was deemed to be the pacemaker for Aidan O’Brien’s first-choice runner, Mikhail Glinka, who finished a close third.
It does not take second sight to realise that the form of that race has been elevated since by At First Sight’s second to Workforce in the Derby at Epsom three weeks ago and Mikhail Glinka’s victory in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot last week.
Carraiglawn is on the upgrade, having won his last two starts in a maiden at Navan and a Listed race the Curragh. “It's likely I will run the two of them and likely Kevin Manning will ride Puncher Clynch and David Moran will ride Carraiglawn,” Bolger said. “It was a good run from Puncher Clynch in the Ballysax. He's a very competitive horse and he doesn't give up easily so I'm sure he will give a good account of himself.
“Carraiglawn will appreciate the step up to a mile and a half but it could also be when he is a four-year-old before we see the best from him. I think that's a pattern with Rock of Gibraltar's offspring. They are later maturers than he was himself.”
Bolger also said that he will leave a decision on his running plans for Audi Pretty Polly Stakes, the Group One highlight on Saturday’s Curragh card, until the morning before. The trainer has three options; Akdarena, who finished sixth in the Oaks, Gile Na Greine, runner-up in the Coronation Stakes and Gold Bubbles, who was second in the Musidora Stakes at York last month.
“Akdarena came out of Epsom a little on the light side and it's taking her time to get her weight back on,” Bolger said. “We're getting there slowly but whether we make it or not, I wasn't going to decide until Friday. It's a possibility she’ll run. They are all in the same boat really, they are all going to be late decisions.
“Gile Na Greine ran at Ascot and she had to travel home. She is very hardy and didn't lose a lot of weight - so she's in the mix. We have had a bit of luck running fillies in the Coronation and then coming back for the Pretty Polly,” he said. “It's probably not a bad indicator. There's only eight or nine days between the two races. We won't decide until Friday morning.”
There are several trainers waiting to make decisions over whether or not to run in the year's John Smith's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on Saturday, the topweight Opinion Poll looking increasingly unlikely to run on what is now officially good to firm ground.
One horse who will not be in the line-up is last year’s winner of the race, Som Tala, who has been retired due to the recurrence of an old injury which he sustained when running in the Ascot Stakes at the royal meeting last week.
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