Jim Bolger and his son-in-law, Kevin Manning, combined to land last Saturday evening’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh as 6-1 shot Trading Leather upset some more fancied rivals to claim Ireland’s premier classic.

Aidan O’Brien was bidding for an eight success in a row in the race with 9/10 favourite Ruler Of The World but the Ballydoyle runner flopped badly as Trading Leather found the necessary gears under a forceful ride.
Rank outsiders Ralston Road and Cap O’Rushes set off like scalded cats up front in this 12-furlong test and had the nine-runner field well strung out from an early stage.

Rounding the home turn, Manning began to make his move aboard Trading Leather and with a furlong and half to go, Bolger’s charge poked his head in front.

With the pacemakers dropping away, it was left to David Wachman’s Epsom third Galileo Rock to throw down a challenge but, try as he might, Wayne Lordan’s mount could not get to the winner, who stayed on best to score by a length and three-quarters to give Dublin-born Manning his first Irish Derby success.

Ballydoyle’s 33/1 shot, Festive Cheer, fared best of Aidan O’Brien’s runners when third under Seamie Heffernan, with Epsom hero Ruler Of The World trailing in a well-beaten fifth. Epsom runner-up Libertarian also performed well below par when finishing a never-nearer eighth in the hands of William Buick.

Not surprisingly, Bolger, who has enjoyed a wonderful season – Dawn Approach’s Epsom blip apart – was thrilled.

Bolger said, “Everything went according to plan. We were hoping for a strong pace and we got a nice lead for as long as we wanted. I was very pleased with this horse’s run in the Dante Stakes and he’d have gone to Epsom if Dawn Approach hadn’t been there.

“I won this race back in 1992 with St Jovite but today’s win is probably a career-topping day as it doesn’t get much better than this. We will have to see where we go with Trading Leather now, as he needs nice underfoot conditions to be seen at his best,” added the winning handler, who was completing a memorable clean-sweep as he also bred the successful Teofilo colt at his powerful Coolcullen operation in County Carlow.  

 

Galway summer ­festival launched

One of the sporting and social highlights of the Irish Summer – the 2013 Galway Races Summer Festival – will take place from Monday, July 29 to Sunday, August 4 and the iconic event was officially launched recently at the newly refurbished Panoramic Restaurant and Corrib Bar at Galway Racecourse.

“Over 150,000 racing fans are set to attend one of the biggest racing festivals in the world. We are proud to announce that all 52 races over the seven days of the festival will have a sponsor and the total prize fund will exceed €1.6m, which is quite an achievement in these challenging times,” said newly elected Galway Races chairman, Terry Cunningham.    

Children and teenagers under 16 years of age when accompanied by their parent(s) will be admitted free of charge to the summer festival meeting. Any child or teenager who is unaccompanied by their parent(s) will have to pay the student admission fee for that day.

The shuttle bus service will operate again this year from Eyre Square, drop off at the racecourse this year will be adjacent to Entrance C. This will provide easier access to people travelling to the races by Bus Éireann shuttle.