Bolger And Manning Take Spoils

Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning stole the show at Leopardstown on Saturday night with a 31-1 treble.

The County Carlow-handler has his string in fantastic form at present and advertised that fact by winning a Group Two, a Group Three and a Listed contest to send his army of followers home happy.

Bolger saddled Teofilo in the Korean Racing Association Tyros Stakes, Gaudeamus in the Robert H. Griffin Debutante Stakes and Heliostatic in the Meld Stakes.

Heliostatic was last seen finishing a creditable seventh in the Irish Derby behind Dylan Thomas and he was sent off the 11-10 favourite to make the drop in class tell.

And sent to the front under a confident Manning, the result was never in doubt as the son of Galileo seemed to appreciate the step back down to 10 furlongs as he held off the challenge of Lord Admiral by two lengths.

'He's improving all the time and he battles very well,' said Bolger.

'I'm not sure where he'll go next, but he is in the Irish Champion Stakes back here on September 9.'

'This is probably his best trip,' added Manning.

'He just didn't quite get home in the Derby but back over this trip he has done it very well.

'He's done well this season, he's won a Listed and a Group race so we hope he keeps progressing.'

Teofilo (7-2) will have Bolger and Manning dreaming of Classic glory next season after his success.

On his debut at the Curragh he had beaten the well-regarded Red Rocks Canyon, a half brother to the ill-fated Horatio Nelson.

And he stretched his unbeaten record to two in the style of a useful animal, despite looking short of room in the final two furlongs.

However, as the early pacesetters began to falter, Kevin Manning brought the son of Galileo through with a well-timed run to land the spoils by a length and three quarters.

Mark Johnston's Middleham ran with great credit in second, while David Wachman's Whatsthescript took third, although his stablemate Country Song was a disappointment under Kieren Fallon.

Bolger said: 'He has a great temperament, he's the real deal. He'll probably go for the National Stakes (September 17) and maybe take in the Futurity Stakes (August 26) at the Curragh in the meantime.'

Manning was also getting excited: 'We thought he was a nice horse after he won first time at the Curragh and he's certainly a very nice horse.

'He's a big horse with a marvellous attitude and he's got everything that a good horse needs. You can ride him any way you want and even though it's early days he's going the right way and you'd hope he'd be a Classic horse.'

The middle leg of the treble came in the highlight of the night, the Group Two Debutante Stakes via Gaudeamus.

Manning was never more than two lengths off the pace on the 9-4 chance but with a furlong to run all five runners held chances.

However, Manning was able to find extra on the daughter of Distorted Humour, who had run well against the colts on her last start.

Dimenticata stuck on gamely for second, a head down at the line, while the 7-4 favourite, Alexander Tango, finished third.

Bolger said of the winner: 'She'll probably go for the Group One Moyglare Stakes (August 27 at the Curragh), that will be the plan. She stays well and wants a trip, even at this stage.

'The experience of her last run in a Group Three at the Curragh paid off today. She was heavier today than last time and she doesn't need to stand still for too long.'

'It was a messy race and very tactical,' Manning told At The Races.

'But as my filly showed when winning her maiden she has a great turn of foot. She did it well and she's a very good filly.

'I don't know what Jim has in mind for her but the Moyglare would be the obvious race.'

The finale, the Listed Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Sweet Mimosa Stakes, was won by Malcolm Saunders' game mare Indian Maiden (4-1).

She looked to have a mountain to climb turning into the straight but showed great resolve to get up in the shadow of the post from Aidan O'Brien's Beauty Bright to win by a short-head.

It was the six-year-old's sixth win at Listed level and the second time Fran Berry had partnered her to victory.

(C) PA Sport