The Irish show enough enthusiasm for the ‘jumping Olympics’ at Cheltenham in March. Horses, trainers and punters come over in their hordes. For this year’s Epsom Derby it is a different matter. Two of Ireland’s leading trainers are effectively boycotting Epsom with horses which, if they were to run, would be vying for favouritism.
Jim Bolger, trainer of New Approach, who has finished second in the English and Irish 2000 Guineas and who was the winter favourite for the race, says the horse will go for the Irish Derby at The Curragh rather than running at Epsom. Dermot Weld, trainer of Casual Conquest, the impressive six-length winner of the Derrinstown Stud Stakes, one of the best pointers to Epsom prospects in recent years, is complaining about the £75,000 required at this stage to ‘supplement’ the colt for Epsom (that is, to enter him at a later stage than others for an added fee). He, too, says that he would rather run him in Ireland or France.
Coming on top of Epsom’s troubles in finding a new long-term sponsor for the Derby after Vodafone pulled out of that role 16 months ago the defections of leading Irish contenders are a blow to the prestige of the annual ‘scurry over Surrey’. What was even worse was that Bolger, who insists that New Approach’s five victories as an unbeaten two-year-old have already established his stud value, went on to add, ‘I don’t think Epsom necessarily does all that much for a prospective stallion career.’ The Epsom authorities have been admirably diplomatic and failed to cross swords with Bolger but that is fighting talk which needs to be challenged.
For a start, New Approach was himself sired, like Bolger’s earlier two-year-old star Teofilo, by the Derby winner Galileo.
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in