Dubai: Veteran Irish handler Jim Bolger has issued an ominous warning to his rivals ahead of next month’s Epsom Derby, one of the oldest and most prestigious flat races in the world.
Bolger, who is famed for his handling as well as breeding skills as evidenced by the achievements of his stable flag bearer and race favourite Dawn Approach, believes that he holds two more aces for the June 1 showpiece.
Speaking at York earlier this week the Wexford-born Bolger, 72, talked up the prospects of Trading Leather after watching the son of Teofilo finish a closing 1 ¼ second to Libertarian in the Dante Stakes (G2): “I am thrilled with my three top horses, Dawn Approach, Trading Leather and Loch Garman.
“We know the one that is better — Dawn Approach — and he is well. It is a toss-up between the other two.”
“I think the only trials that matter were run in Coolcullen [Bolger’s gallops in Ireland] and I’m ecstatic with them.
“With due respect for the winners of the Leopardstown trial (Battle Of Margeno) and the York tria [Libertarian], we would be expecting to show serious improvement from a fitness point of view with Loch Garman and Trading Leather.”
Bolger’s comments came even as leading British bookmakers for next month’s Epsom Derby (G1) further trimmed Dawn Approach’s odds to Evens (from 6/4). Trading Leather is listed at 25-1 (from 33s) for the 2,400m Epsom Classic.
Loch German, a spirited runner-up to the Aidan O’Brien-trained Battle Of Margeno at Leopardstown, holds entries for three major Group 1s over the summer including the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby [The Curragh], St. James’s Palace Stakes [Royal Ascot] and Coral-Eclipse Stakes [Sandown].
Meanwhile Battle Of Marengo continued to bear down on Dawn Approach in the main betting markets after being cut to 9-2 [from 5s], while O’Brien’s Dee Stakes (G3) scorer Magician emerged as the most significant mover with his odds being trimmed to 20-1 [from 25s].
Meanwhile Ocovango, a smart winner of the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud, will bid to reprise the heroics for Andre Fabre’s Pour Moi who went on to claim the Epsom prize under teenage jockey Mickael Barzalona in 2011.
Ocovango is owned by Prince Faisal and his racing manager Ted Voute told At The Races: “As far as I know everything is going according to plan and he will go over for the Breakfast With The Stars next week.
“He went to the Greffullhe having won a maiden and a Listed race, and each time he’s been nurtured to learn a little bit more.
“He’s been ridden several different ways and we go into the race unbeaten like Dawn Approach. It was Mr Fabre’s plan all along to take him to Epsom before the race and god willing he’ll be there next Thursday.”
Karl Burke husband and assistant to trainer Elaine Burke was cautious about his assessment of Libertarian, whose price was also dropped to 16-1 [from 20s] following his Dante romp.
“I think he lost about seven kilos which is normal for a race like that,” he said. “He seems to have come out of it a lot better than his Sandown race when he gave a few coughs afterwards and things were not perfect.
“He’s still in the race [Derby] and as long as the horse is 100 percent, we will probably take our chance.
“Who knows whether he will handle Epsom but he’s a well-balanced, athletic type so we will see.”
A total of 24 horses remain in contention for the Derby at the time of writing.
