Jim Bolger: 'Saturday was right up there with my greatest days in racing'

There have many magical moments with horses such as New Approach, Dawn Approach, Finsceal Beo, Teofilo and St Jovite but Jim Bolger has described Saturday's momentous Group 1 double as being on a par with his greatest achievements in racing.

One day short of the centenary of Terence MacSwiney's death, the master of Coolcullen sent out Mac Swiney, named after the former Lord Mayor of Cork, to a thrilling victory in the Vertem Futurity Stakes at Doncaster five minutes after Gear Up, whom Bolger bred, stormed to Criterium de Saint-Cloud glory for Mark Johnston.

Mac Swiney: the Vertem Futurity Trophy winner is named after Terence MacSwineyCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

If that was not enough, Bolger also landed one of the feature races on home soil, the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown with Flying Visit, all without leaving his base in County Carlow.

It was a day of days, one Bolger ranks right up there with New Approach's Epsom Derby success and his victories in the Irish equivalent with St Jovite and Trading Leather.

Not even the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas double achieved with Finsceal Beo nor winning five Dewhursts could eclipse Saturday's achievements according to the 78-year-old. Saturday was that good.

"I got huge satisfaction out of the whole day," Bolger said. "It was right up there with some of the best days I've had in racing. Two Group 1 winners in five minutes – it's hard to beat that."

Terence MacSwiney died on hunger strike on October 25, 1920 in Brixton prison and Bolger had been well aware his 100-year anniversary was approaching.

Bolger explained: "It was high risk, especially for a non Corkonian like myself, but thankfully it looks as though it's working out all right. I'd been waiting on the anniversary before naming one Mac Swiney, but I'd been thinking about calling a good one after him for years. I won't be trying it again in a hurry. It would have been an embarrassment not to get it right."

He added: "I've been told about the serious traction it got on social media and that's nice because Terence MacSwiney deserves to be remembered along with all his compatriots."

Bolger can not only take credit for delivering Mac Swiney in peak physical condition at Doncaster on Saturday, but also for shaping the colt's pedigree given he sourced the third dam Amoura in the United States almost 40 years ago.

They say the secret to becoming an overnight success is a lifetime of hard work and, in the case of Mac Swiney and the glorious five minutes that unfolded for Bolger on Saturday, such a statement rings true.

Bolger said: "It didn't happen overnight. I bought the third dam nearly 40 years ago in America. I gave four thousand dollars for her. It's a very strong pedigree, but it has taken me a few years to get it right. But, in the interim, I got a Dewhurst winner out of it with Parish Hall."

Jim Bolger on Kevin Manning (left): 'I am very proud of him and he has been a great help to me down through the years'Credit: Caroline Norris

One constant in the Bolger success story has been his unflappable son-in-law Kevin Manning, who was at his terrific best at 53 years of age aboard Mac Swiney, just as he had been aboard New Approach, Teofilo and all the other greats.

Bolger said: "Age is only a number. As I said yesterday, Kevin thinks he's 35 and is as enthusiastic as ever. Kevin has always been very good and it's marvellous that he's keeping it up. I am very proud of him and he has been a great help to me down through the years."

Watch Mac Swiney record a memorable victory for Jim Bolger in Saturday's Vertem Futurity Stakes at Doncaster

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