Racing

Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning spring Leopardstown four-timer

Trainer wins first four races on the card to continue fine run

Qatari Hunter (green and orange), with Kevin Manning up, on their way to winning the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund ‘Nasrullah’ Handicap during the Bulmers Evening Meeting at Leopardstown. Photograph: Matt Browne/Sportsfile
Qatari Hunter (green and orange), with Kevin Manning up, on their way to winning the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund ‘Nasrullah’ Handicap during the Bulmers Evening Meeting at Leopardstown. Photograph: Matt Browne/Sportsfile
Thu Jul 07 2016 - 20:28

Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning celebrated a four-timer from the first four races on the card at Leopardstown when Qatari Hunter swooped late to land the feature race, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Nasrullah' Handicap.

Manning was content to hold the 2-1 favourite in the rear of the field and still had plenty to do rounding the turn for home.

Tennessee Wildcat appeared to get first run as he crept ahead at the furlong pole, but Qatari Hunter’s finishing kick was unstoppable, as he charged into the lead close home, winning by a head.

Bolger said: “I’ve had a few five-timers, but I’m not sure if I’ve had four out of four before. They are firing on all cylinders and it’s lovely to have a night like this.”

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He added on Qatari Hunter: “He’s going the right way and there might be another one of those in him. The big target might be a race back in his owner’s homeland at Christmas.

“There is probably something on Oaks weekend for him and if not probably Galway.

“It looks like he’ll stay well which opens other opportunities. I was a little concerned tonight as he missed a few days after the Curragh.

“I’ve won this race a few times and Graduated won it three times for me.”

The amazing run for Bolger and Manning started with the highly-promising debut of Radio Silence in the Racecourse Of The Year Race.

Backed into 9-10 favouritism before the off, the War Front colt showed real signs of his inexperience when asked to close from the rear of the field on the home turn.

He picked up well in the closing stages, though, breezing past Pipes Of Peace before scoring by two lengths.

Bolger said: “He’s the first War Front I’ve had and he has potential.

“He’ll either go for the Tyros back here or might go to the Curragh for the Anglesey.”

Bolger and Manning recorded a quick double when Cirin Toinne (12-1) made up for lost time in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

The three-year-old was making her debut on the track and was always prominent, eventually seeing off the challenge of fellow pacesetter Etched and going on to score by a length and three-quarters.

Bolger said: “She’s my last Galileo. I had two nominations that year and she’s the last one.

“She just needed a little bit of time. She was a very late foal and we didn’t really train her last year, she was a little bit slow to learn.

“We’ll look for some black-type and then she’ll be a broodmare. Going up or down in trip wouldn’t matter to her.”

Manning provided a masterclass from the front on Bolger’s Brontide (16-1) in the Jack L Handicap, as he looked a sitting duck on the home turn but just kept finding to get the better of Power Struggle in a thrilling dive for the line.