Jim Bolger

Being a leading broodmare sire is so often a posthumous honour. It is also one that tends to come on the back of a stallion either having been sent strong books of mares from the outset, or having earned that right through eye-catching early results in his stud career.  Of the top 20 broodmare sires in Europe in 2025, only half of them are still living, and of that 10, eight remain active. It is hardly earth-shattering news to reveal that Galileo's name was at the top of the list,...

As old-fashioned as it may now seem, in this small corner of the bloodstock world a strong personal preference it still held for the Derby above all races. And by that, of course, we are talking about the original version, at Epsom, with that piece of wood at the end of the unique mile-and-a-half challenge which was made famous in a quote from the revered breeder Federico Tesio.  We can't all agree on everything though, can we? That would just be dull. But beyond the stifling and shouty sphere of...

Ceistiu, the dam of this year's Royal Ascot and Qatar Goodwood Festival winner Merchant, will be offered at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale, which takes place from November 21-22. The daughter of Vocalised is a full-sister to the multiple Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Steip Amach, while her half-sisters include the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes winner Ceisteach (New Approach) and Fidaaha (New Approach), the dam of last year's G1 National Stakes winner Scorthy Champ. The nine-year-old Ceistiu, who is in foal to Mehmas, the sire of...

We have become accustomed to the prevalence of Urban Sea in today's pedigrees, chiefly through her high-flying sons Galileo and Sea The Stars. But another mare whose name pops up on the page of Sea The Stars as well as that of the recently deceased Wootton Bassett is Park Appeal, whose influence should not be underestimated. The daughter of Ahonoora features in the second and third generations respectively of those two stallions, who commanded the highest fees in Ireland in 2025 at €250,000 and €300,000. In the case of Sea...

KILDARE, IRELAND - Classic winners Jim Bolger and Joe Joyce shared the spoils for top lot status on the final day of a red-hot Book 2 session of the Goffs Orby Sale on Thursday when their respective fillies by Teofilo and Mehmas sold for €135,000 apiece.  Bolger's fingerprints were all over Joyce's Mehmas filly, who the breeder consigned himself under his own Cahermorris Stables banner. It was Tally-Ho Stud who landed the filly whose dam, Smart Flies, won and reached a rating of 86 when in training with Bolger.  As...

Legendary trainer and breeder Jim Bolger has confirmed he has put his famous Redmondstown Stud on the market as part of a consolidating of his assets. Bolger sourced the County Wexford farm back in 1990 and, under his expert management, seven Classic winners and 18 Group 1 winners have been reared there in that time.  Some of the more famous graduates include Teofilo, Dawn Approach, Trading Leather and Poetic Flare and Bolger says anyone that is serious about breeding a top-class racehorse should consider the 84-acre farm that has a...

Conor Wixted, Eleanor Dunne and Clare Manning look ahead to the Breeders' Cup after their graduate Bottle Of Rouge won a Grade I at Del Mar in the early hours of Sunday morning It started out as a pretty ordinary suggestion among friends. 'Why don't we go out and try and pinhook a foal in America?' Now, the Irish-based Conor Wixted, Eleanor Dunne and Clare Manning - otherwise known as Kids In America Bloodstock - are Grade I winners courtesy of Del Mar Debutante Stakes winner Bottle Of Rouge.  Bought...

Irish sports stars TJ Reid, Bernard Dunne, Rachael Blackmore, Danny Mullins, and Ursula Jacob are lending their support to the annual Hurling for Cancer Research match, which has raised more than €1.6m since its inception. The event, which is now backed by supermarket chain Centra, was the brainchild of trainer Jim Bolger and jockey Davy Russell 14 years ago. It is set to take place this year at Netwatch Dr Cullen Park on Monday, August 18 at 7.30pm. "It's become a very special day in the calendar, especially for the...

Find out what trainer says their charge has been "prepared to perfection" for the Irish Lincolnshire The Irish Flat season kicks off at the Curragh on Sunday and boy are we ready for it. The opening two-year-old maiden has been won by some top-notchers down through the years, including Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who went on to bag a breakthrough Group 1 success for the Amo Racing team.  There is no shortage of intriguing runners in this year's race, with first-season sires Space Blues (Ire), Lucky Vega (Ire),...

Jim Reilly, a master farrier, has retired after 52 years in the position. From Clonsilla in Dublin, he followed his father's career path. Reilly has been shoeing horses for trainer Jim Bolger since 1972. In 2015, he was awarded the Ancillary Services Award at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. Bolger said, "Jim Reilly shod the first horse for me in 1972 and since then had shod 56 Group 1 winners and 12 Classic winners including two world champions--St Jovite and New Approach (Ire). He also shod two champion...

The celebrity teams for Hurling for Cancer Research, set for Netwatch Cullen Park on Monday Aug. 12, were revealed by Jim Bolger and Davy Russell on Thursday. The event, which starts at 7 p.m. aids the Irish Cancer Society and will be broadcast on TG4 for the first time. To date, Hurling for Cancer Research has raised an incredible €1.5m for cancer research. Liam Griffin and Brian Cody wil act as Bainisteoirí. Others signed on include John Kiely, Mark Landers, Jimmy Barry Murphy, Paul Townend, Rachael Blackmore, Bernard Dunne, Cora...

Hurling for Cancer Research returns to Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow on Monday, August 12 with an array of stars from the world of racing, GAA and top sports personalities confirmed to line-out for this unique hurling match in aid of the Irish Cancer Society's cancer research programmes.  Hurling for Cancer Research, which began in 2011, is the brainchild of leading racehorse trainer, Jim Bolger and former jockey Davy Russell.  Both have secured another star-studded panel, including Kerry star footballer Paudie Clifford, Kilkenny legend TJ Reid, Aintree Grand National-winning jockey...