Jim Bolger recorded his second victory in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on Sunday with homebred filly Pleascach, who outpointed the favourite Found by half a length in the Curragh Classic in the hands of the trainer’s son-in-law Kevin Manning.
The filly is the second Classic winner for her sire Teofilo, yet another product of Bolger’s Redmondstown Stud, whose Irish Derby-winning son Trading Leather was also bred by the trainer and raced initially in the colours of his wife Jackie before being bought by Godolphin.
Unusually, Pleascach was dropping back in trip for her Guineas success after winning the ten-furlong Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes at Naas on 13 May. Her future looks likely to include more Classic attempts with Bolger confirming that she will be aimed at the Irish Oaks, with a tilt at the colts in the Irish Derby is also a possibility.
The trainer, who sent out Lucida to finish runner-up to Legatissimo in the 1,000 Guineas for Godolphin earlier this month, said: “It’s very satisfying. It’s hard to win any big race in Ireland, but to win a Classic with one of our own that we bred ourselves is the stuff you dream about. It doesn’t happen very often but thankfully it has today.
“The ground was the big factor, we didn’t know when we declared if we were going to have good ground and that was the requirement. She coped on the soft at Naas, but we think she needs the good ground to be seen at her best.”
He added: “”She’s very likely to go straight to the Irish Derby all being well and then the Oaks after that would be the target. She’s better than most of the fillies I’ve had, especially at a mile and a half. She’s probably the best filly I’ve had at a mile and a half.”
