REPORT FROM LEOPARDSTOWN:THE ONLY blot on an otherwise profitable afternoon at Leopardstown for the Jim Bolger-Kevin Manning team yesterday was Recharge's defeat of Intense Focus in the 2,000 Guineas Trial – and even that wasn't much of a blot.
Bolger declared himself satisfied with Intense Focus who was a length shy of Recharge, giving the winner 3lb, and the Dewhurst winner still has Classic aspirations either in the Newmarket Guineas or the French version at Longchamp.
“I’m very happy with my horse. He should come on for the run and I would say the winner is very smart,” the in-form trainer said.
It’s the Irish Guineas at the end of May that is interesting Recharge’s trainer Kevin Prendergast as he was impressed with the way the son of the former Tattersalls Gold Cup winner, Rebelline, overcame a less than clear run in the straight.
“He had to stop and recharge if you like,” grinned Prendergast. “He’s a good horse who has been working very well and he was only three-parts of a length off a horse who is close to being Derby favourite (Sea The Stars) last year. He will have no problem with a mile and a quarter and he is entered in the Irish Derby. We will see how he gets on in the Guineas first.”
Bookmaker reaction was to make Recharge as low as 12 to 1 for the Curragh Guineas.
Unlike Intense Focus the Bolger runner, Maoineach, made no mistake in the 1,000 Guineas Trial and is now a 14 to 1 shot for the Newmarket fillies Classic in five weeks time.
A Listed winner on her debut, Maoineach’s only subsequent start was to finish last in the Prix Marcel Boussac where loose ground was blamed for such a poor show.
“She has been working very well,” said Bolger who will delay a call on whether or not Maoineach goes to Newmarket. “I have a couple of others so we will play it by ear. She is in the mix, but at this stage it is more likely to be Cuis Ghaire.”
Another Bolger Classic contender is likely to be the Galileo colt Gan Amhras who was described by the trainer yesterday as “my Derby horse. I’m very much looking forward to him”.
Three Rocks is likely to get another hefty hike in the ratings after following up a Curragh victory seven days previously with a smooth defeat of the Eddie Lynam dead-heaters, Empirical Power and Mourinho, in the seven-furlong handicap. Whether that will stop the Bolger runner’s progress is debatable though as another slow start yesterday did nothing to stop him sweeping to another decisive success.
Aidan O’Brien’s Roman Empress failed to live up to expectations in the opening maiden as the filly, backed down to 16 to 1 for the Oaks earlier in the week, could finish only eighth to the Mick Kinane-ridden Roses For The Lady.
“She is an Oaks entry but we are not thinking of that yet,” said the winner’s trainer, John Oxx. “We will give her a chance in Listed company. She looked a little exposed last year but we thought she would improve from two to three.”
However, the champion trainer got off the mark for 2009 with Rockhampton earning quotes as low as 12 to 1 for the Derby by breaking his maiden in the finale.
“Johnny (Murtagh) taught him plenty and hopefully he will progress. There should be plenty there and he is in trials like the Ballysax,” O’Brien said.
The Co Donegal-born apprentice Martin Harley scored the first double of his career as both Giant Slalom and Shaimaa both won handicaps within half an hour of each other.
Shaimaa was a well-backed winner in the 10-furlong handicap and won very comfortably, taking over from Princess Lomi in the straight and having three lengths in hand of Qeethaara at the line.
Giant Slalom was first reserve for his first race but took the place of his stable companion Grave Matters who was taken out due to the ground conditions and scored a 10 to 1 victory over Metropolis and Astonish. “He’d come down in the weights and will continue to mix it on the flat and over hurdles,” said trainer Tom McCourt.
