Bolger To Issue Verbal Warning At Doncaster

Aidan O’Brien is 4/5 with BoyleSports to win the Racing Post Trophy this afternoon but it could be his former master, Jim Bolger, that puts the fireworks on hold at Doncaster.

Verbal Warning
Jim Bolger knows a good two-year-old when he sees one, he’s trained plenty of them. His waxing lyrical about Verbal Dexterity will only be proved justified on a stage like today but the way the colt was able to grind down Beckford and then open up a three and a half length gap at the finish of the National Stakes was extremely impressive and enough to suggest that…

stepping up to a mile today will bring more Group 1 honours to Coolcullen.

It is probably something of a surprise to see the colt still carrying the Bolger colours as many of us might have expected Kevin Manning to be donning the royal blue silks of Godolphin for this engagement but that is just a side story and as Aidan O’Brien goes in search of that 26th Group 1 of the year, it could be his old boss that denies him.

Saxon Warrior is clearly progressive and O’Brien has a strong hand here, at 4/5 to win the race that is fairly obvious, but if Bolger is any way accurate in what he is saying about the two-year-old, and he can back that up today, it could be enough to lower the colours of Ballydoyle on this occasion at least.

October Glory For Patriot
For the last number of years Leopardstown hosted the November Handicap in October but thankfully this year that race will now be run in November in Naas and has been replaced at Leopardstown by the more aptly named October Handicap. While it is a good competitive race for the money, Ex Patriot has shown himself a talented enough racehorse to win it.

Connections of the four-year-old turned down decent money on the eve of the Triumph Hurdle last year before the horse ran a blinder and finished fourth. He made his comeback at Listowel with plenty of weight on his back in the Lartigue Hurdle but wasn’t disgraced and now switching back to the flat he can exploit what looks a favourable mark.

He may prove to be a hard enough horse to place over hurdles this season, as the four-year-old often are, but with a big pot on offer…

this could look a pretty smart move to take in this flat assignment.

Recommended Bets:
Verbal Dexterity (4/1) – 3.25 Doncaster
Ex Patriot (7/2) – 4.50 Leopardstown

*Prices correct at time of publication.