Galileo Power Behind Boherguy Debut

Wednesday sees Clare Manning make her first foray into consigning at the Goffs Orby Sale, one she has come to know well through the commercial success of her grandfather Jim Bolger, as well as through her time working for Baroda Stud.

Operating under the banner Boherguy Stud, Manning will offer the high calibre of pedigrees she has been surrounded with her whole life; two beautifully-bred fillies by Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire). Both were bought as foals by her grandfather and though Manning has no financial involvement in the bluebloods, she has been with them every step of the way.

“I went through the catalogue with my Granda and we viewed them together at the sales,” she explains. “They've been with me ever since. They're two gorgeous fillies and have been so easy to prep–they've taken everything in their stride.”

Both bays are faultless, Manning reveals. “They both have unbelievable pages. The Galileo filly comes from a Juddmonte family and it's rare to have the opportunity to get into a family of that calibre–she's one-of-a-kind. The Sea The Stars filly is an absolute belter and so athletic; both of them are.”

The first Boherguy yearling through the ring is the daughter of Sea The Stars, bought by Bolger for €150,000 from Al Eile Stud. Bolger has enjoyed success with Al Eile's Michael Ryan in the past, training the great Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr Greeley) to win three Group 1 contests in his striped silks. Lot 277 comes from another family of top-class fillies, with the likes of Yesterday (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Diamondsandrubies (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) appearing on the page.

Lot 460 is another first foal with a proven pedigree, the daughter of super sire Galileo being closely related to Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Romantica (GB) (Galileo). She looks value at her €160,000 foal price, given that her dam Replete (GB) cost 775,000gns as an unraced 3-year-old in 2016, buyers keen to secure the daughter of champion 3-year-old filly Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill).

Jim Bolger has a history of enjoying success with Galileo at what now look like bargain prices, having supported the Coolmore kingpin in his earliest seasons to produce Soldier Of Fortune (Ire), Teofilo (Ire) and New Approach (Ire).

Manning began her work experience at Bolger's Redmondstown Stud and went on to work at Darley's Kildangan Stud. It was there that Joe Osborne, Gerry Duffy and Clodagh Kavanagh advised her to venture further afield, and with that, she went to WinStar Farm. “That was probably the point where I decided what I wanted to do in the future,” muses Manning.

While there, she met David Cox and returned to work at his Baroda Stud, where she has worked on-and-off for three years, interspersed with completing the Irish National Stud course, working for Harry Sweeney in Japan and spending time at Arrowfield Stud in Australia.

Each place has been integral to Manning reaching where she is now, though she says her father and grandfather have been the greatest influences on her career to date. “I was born into the industry and I learnt so much from them both, sometimes without even realising,” she says, adding, “David Cox has also been very good to me–if I hadn't spent three years at Baroda, I don't known if I'd be in a position to do my own thing.

“Everywhere I've been, there's been someone who's guided me. Dennis Griffin was yearling manager while I was at Arrowfield and he was great. If the guys at Kildangan hadn't told me to go abroad, things would have been different–that was a turning point.”

Still, the path to the Orby wasn't a meticulously-planned project, she explains, “Later, I felt the need to spread my wings. I liked the idea of the sales co-ordinator roles they have in the U.S., but those jobs don't exist over here.”

So, on to plan B. “I got asked to take a couple of foals, and through talking to different people, next thing I knew I'd been offered 10 mares to foal. I remember speaking to my parents and saying if I said no to those mares, I may never be offered them again. Full credit to my dad, he gave me the push to do my own thing. For the last two years, doing my own thing had been on my mind, but I didn't necessarily plan how it began.”

Manning had the perfect location to begin her new venture, with the yard at her family home offering an American barn, loose boxes, an arena, lunge ring, gallops and a walker. “If I didn't have that, I don't think I would be in the position I'm in now,” admits Manning, adding, “Facilities are a major challenge facing those looking to go out on their own. Rent for yards can be colossus. That may be ok if you know you'll have 30 horses in, but what if that drops to 10 at some point? I'm lucky that if my numbers fluctuate, I don't have to worry about not paying my rent.”

It is very admirable to see someone making their own way in any industry, none more so than in the horse racing and bloodstock worlds, though one might wonder if it's often seen as a more viable option than attempting to climb the ladder through other companies. It's something Manning has noticed. She says, “We all want the best people in the best positions, but I don't think young people are always given the chance. They could be looking to take the next step up in their career, but a yearling manager role might look for someone with five years experience and it's tough to get the chance to get to that point.”

She admired the opportunities she saw in the U.S., however. “I know people who have less experience than me who have been offered similar roles in the U.S.,” she explains, “But I find the Irish slightly more old-fashioned in that they look for the well-known, experienced staff. I understand why they do it, but I think it deters young people from excelling.”

It then made sense that Manning looked to another talented young person in the industry to join her at Boherguy Stud. She tells the story: “I worked with Charles Weld at Baroda and we've been good friends for a long time. I did the mares and foals myself, but when it came to yearlings, I asked Charles to join me. He's so good with young horses and I can completely trust him. It's very important to have trustworthy staff so that if I'm away for two days, for instance, I know I don't have to worry about the yard. Having worked together before, we already had a system and it made life very easy. The work always gets done, but we get to have some craic too, and it's an easy-going atmosphere.”

Baroda also inspired Manning's plans for Boherguy Stud. “I spent three years at Baroda Stud and I enjoyed the system and routine there,” she says. “I would be very happy to own a few mares and pinhook a few foals, to dabble in both. I enjoy foaling, and breaking horses is nice as it follows on well from yearling prep. In time, I would like to focus on the sales, though it may not work out that way.”

Manning is very aware that to excel in this industry, you mustn't drop your standards, and she is determined to maintain a high quality of stock, even if it means veering from her original plan. “I bought a mare a couple of years ago when I'd actually planned to pinhook a foal,” she explains. “I saw a few I liked but they ended up making too much. My budget didn't really allow me to buy the foals I wanted, but in hindsight, I've been lucky because looking at Doncaster, they weren't making a profit. When there are so many horses, and it's so difficult to even get yearlings into the right sale, I don't see the point in buying something I don't like, just because it's cheap.”

No matter how many boxes you tick, circumstances can often be out of your hands, which is something Manning is predicting may affect her two fillies selling at the Goffs Sportsmans Sale.

“I'm only consigning the Dawn Approach filly, who is owned by a friend. The Harzand filly is gorgeous, with a lovely page, in fact she could have been an Orby filly. My biggest concern with her is if anyone will be there to buy her–many buyers will have moved on to Book 1. The horse itself isn't always the main worry.”

Having said that, Manning remains optimistic ahead of the Orby, and when asked if she's stressed or worried, she quickly replies, “Absolutely not for some reason. I'm just excited to bring them to the sales, to show them off and show people what I can do.”