Time called on Early Doors racing career Trainer Enda Bolger has confirmed that six-time winner Early Doors has been retired from racing following his run at Killarney earlier this week. Having made a winning start to his career when landing a Punchestown bumper for Joseph O'Brien in February 2017, the Soldier Of Fortune gelding was subsequently purchased by leading owner J.P. McManus. Following a maiden hurdle win at Wexford in October of that same year, he went on to land the Grade 3 Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas on just his second start over jumps. Runner-up in the Royal Bond(Grade 1) on his final outing of 2017, he later went on to achieve a notable victory in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival two years later. The following year, Early Doors won another big prize for McManus when landing the Galway Plate under Mark Walsh. Later switched to Enda Bolger, his final win under rules came in last seasons renewal of that same Killarney Hunter Chase that he bowed out in. Early Doors also won twice in point-to-points for Bolger, who commented: “He’s going to a good home in Martinstown. “He won a Martin Pipe and he won a Galway Plate and we got a few point-to-points out of him. “He’s retiring sound and is a beautiful horse by Soldier Of Fortune.” In all, Early Doors won over €300,000 in prizemoney. Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
