Jim Bolger

Jim Bolger has encouraged breeders and racing fans alike to pay a visit to his Classic-winning homebred Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) at the Irish National Stud and promised 'they won't be disappointed' by what they see.  The two-day Irish Stallion Trail kicks off on Friday and Bolger is backing Mac Swiney to go down a bomb. The legendary trainer also revealed that he plans on supporting the Group 1-winning two-year-old and Irish 2,000 Guineas hero with 20 mares in his first season at stud. Bolger said, "He's the...

Seventeen years have passed since Teofilo (Ire), a member of the second crop of Galileo (Ire), blazed a trail through his unbeaten juvenile season, ending the year as champion two-year-old after beating Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) in the G1 National and G1 Dewhurst S. Jim Bolger's homebred raced solely at seven furlongs that year, and his subsequent injury in the spring of 2007 meant that we could only guess at what he might have achieved at three and beyond. By that August he had been retired without ever returning to...

Group 1 winner Creachadoir (Ire) (King's Best--Sadima {Ire}, by Sadler's Wells) died at Haras de la Tricoliere due to a suspected cardiac event after the 2023 breeding season, Jour De Galop reported on Thursday. Bred by Frank Dunne, the bay was an €83,000 Tattersalls Ireland September Sale grad when picked up by his first trainer Jim Bolger. He raced in the colours of Bolger's wife and John Corcoran through his first nine starts at two and three which resulted in a pair of Group 3 victories and placings in both...

Jim Bolger and Davy Russell announced their star-studded teams for Hurling for Cancer Research, which takes place in Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow Monday Aug. 21. Throw-in is at 6 p.m. The two teams will be led by Wexford and Kilkenny legends Liam Griffin and Brian Cody acting as Bainisteoirs. The bevy of racing, sports and TV stars already confirmed for the event include David and Paudie Clifford, Rachael Blackmore, Ursula Jacob, Paul McGrath, Miriam O'Callaghan, Michael Duignan, Kevin Manning, Willie McCreery, Barry Geraghty, Marty Morrissey and Joanne O'Riordan are...

by Emma Berry & Heather Anderson    A field of eight make up Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks, and a strong Irish contingent faces just one English challenger, Juddmonte's Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}). Aidan O'Brien runs four fillies, including the favourite, Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The Aga Khan homebred Azazat (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is another who is taking her chance in this 1 1/2-mile Classic at the Curragh, and will attempt to become the third winner for her owner/breeder after Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) in 1997 and Shawanda (Ire) (Sinndar...

The annual Hurling for Cancer Research event, traditionally held in Newbridge, will take place in a new venue--Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow, Monday, Aug. 21. The move to Netwatch Cullen Park is due to the planned refurbishment of St Conleth's Park. The hurling match will take place at 6pm. Organised annually by leading trainer Jim Bolger and former champion jockey Davy Russell, the event allows sports fans to rub shoulders with household names from the world of horse racing, GAA, soccer and boxing along with a host of celebrities. To date,...

Freddy Tylicki, part-owner of the Jim Bolger-trained Fleetfoot (Ire), who advertised his Classic credentials with a gritty success at Leopardstown on Wednesday, has spoken glowingly about the Teofilo (Ire) colt's claims of major honours this season.  Fleetfoot was placed on all three of his starts at two, bumping into some smart colts each time, including subsequent G1 National S. hero Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).  But the Shadwell-bred colt made no mistake on his seasonal return, battling best to land the 1m maiden as a 7-4 favourite despite racing...

Earlier this week, Jim Bolger told TDN Europe that the stable jockey void left by his retired son-in-law Kevin Manning would be filled by Rory Cleary and Luke McAteer.    Cleary has already recorded big-race success for his long-standing boss, when guiding Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) to G1 Irish 2000 Guineas glory in 2021, and has opened up about what it means to be provided with an opportunity to play a bigger role at Coolcullen Stables this season.    As well as being a key cog in Coolcullen's...

Jim Bolger has provided the strongest indication yet that the stable jockey vacancy left by his retired son-in-law Kevin Manning at Coolcullen Stables will not be filled by an outside rider and that the legendary trainer will be staying loyal to Rory Cleary and Luke McAteer this season. Cleary has already tasted major success for his long-standing boss when partnering MacSwiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) to lead home a Bolger-trained one-two in the 2021 Irish 2,000 Guineas, outpointing Manning aboard the better-fancied Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}). It was...

Gan Teorainn (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) was the first to cross the seven-figure threshold when hammering for an even 1 million guineas to the bid of the Michael Donohoe seated alongside Yuesheng Zhang during the second of the Sceptre Sessions during the Tattersalls December Mare Sale Tuesday in Newmarket. The 2-year-old filly, trained by Jim Bolger for owner/breeder Ennistown Stud, was a maiden winner second time out at Naas and belied rough odds to be runner-up in the G3 Meld S. and the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac in September and...

NEWMARKET, UK-Classic contender Gan Teorainn (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) has been described by Clare Manning of Boherguy Stud as the most exciting horse the 29-year-old has ever had the chance to consign ahead of the eagerly-anticipated Sceptre Session at Tattersalls on Tuesday. Trained by her grandad Jim Bolger, Gan Teorainn advertised her Classic credentials when second in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp in October and can be backed at odds of 25-1 for next year's Oaks.  The Ennistown Stud-owned filly also boasts a rock-solid pedigree to match her...

Jim Bolger has offered up a glowing tribute to multiple Group 1 and Classic-winning stable jockey Kevin Manning, who at the age of 55, announced his retirement from the saddle after riding a winner for his legendary father-in-law at Galway.  Manning joined Bolger in 1978. Together, they won the Derby with New Approach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the Irish Derby with Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and came within a whisker of completing the 1,000 Guineas treble with Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr Greeley), who went out on her shield at Longchamp...