Mac Swiney Heads to the Derby, Royal Ascot For Poetic Flare

Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and his stablemate, G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas scorer Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) are bound for the G1 Cazoo Derby and Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S., respectively, owner/breeder/trainer Jim Bolger revealed on the Luck on Sunday programme.

Bolger told Luck on Sunday of Mac Swiney, “As they say in the west of Ireland, I was mighty impressed with him. I thought that he stuck to the task really well–any horse wishing to take him on and beat him in the future will have to be up for it because he isn't going to give in easily.”

A winner of half of his eight starts, the chestnut won the G2 Futurity S. last August and added the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy on Oct. 24. He was fourth in his 3-year-old bow behind current Derby favourite Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. at Leopardstown on May 9.

“I'm very fortunate that the two talented 3-year-olds colts I have at the moment both have great temperaments and they can take anything that I throw at them.

“They're only different in the amount of work that they take. Mac Swiney takes very little work, whereas the other fella takes an awful lot of work, which is why I felt he would stand up to the three Guineas.”

Added Bolger of his Derby hopeful, “I'm the world's worst punter, so asking me what price he should be wouldn't get a very knowledgeable answer. In my mind there isn't anything ahead of him–the form is there now.”

Poetic Flare, who won the G3 Killavullan S. at Leopardstown at two and took the Listed Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” 2000 Guineas Trial S. there on Apr. 11, contested all three Guineas. The bay reported home sixth in the G1 French 2000 Guineas in very soft ground on May 16 prior to his Irish Guineas second. His next target is most likely the St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot.

Bolger said, “The three Guineas came about the year I had Finsceal Beo. In the end it was a few showers of rain in France that cost us the French Guineas, otherwise we would have had all three.

“We realised this [Poetic Flare] was a very talented horse with a lot of durability about him. He's tough and he could take it.

“Apart from a few things we got wrong in France and then beating him ourselves with a different horse, we could have had the three, so it is possible.

“With a little different circumstance he could be the winner of three Guineas today and that would be fairly unique.

“I said earlier in the week that whatever beat Poetic Flare would win the race. It's not often I'm right, but I was right on that occasion.”

Bolger added, “I'd say there's a good chance that he will [run in the St James's Palace]. It depends how he gets on in the meantime, but I'd say he's more likely to turn up there than not.

“I'd say he'll stay at a mile. The only thing that might cause us to divert from that would be the Eclipse at Sandown, but then I have to keep that in mind for Mac Swiney as well.”

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Poetic Flare Heads Irish Guineas Cast

Denied a Classic double in Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Jim Bolger's Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) will try again in Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh, for which a dozen were confirmed on Thursday. His owner, breeder and trainer gave the expected all-clear to the May 1 G1 2000 Guineas hero after his sixth placing at ParisLongchamp, while he also saddles the G1 Futurity Trophy winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who was only fourth on his return in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown May 9. Reflecting on Poetic Flare's reversal, Bolger said, “The wheels kind of came off the wagon a little bit there, but we've drawn a line through it and we're moving on. It was the conditions mainly. While I agree the going was very soft, he couldn't get a grip for whatever reason and I suspect there was a little bit of padding underneath. He wasn't going to be able to quicken up like he can in those circumstances and Kevin didn't get him to where he wanted to be at the two-furlong marker.”

Bolger believes that Poetic Flare is up to the fast turnaround. “He's very well, he only had a furlong and a half of a race, so we expected he'd be fresh after it,” he commented. “He's very durable and has a great constitution. He'd be able to stand up to whatever I throw at him.” Of Mac Swiney, he added, “Mac Swiney was flat in the Derrinstown and didn't perform at all well, but the following morning he had a very copious nasal discharge. That cleared up over the following weekend, he's back in work and is doing very well. I need to get the run into him for Epsom and for him to prove his wellbeing. If he does that, I'll be very happy with him. If he can beat Poetic Flare he can win, but I think at a mile Poetic Flare is the better horse. I'd be very comfortable going to Epsom with him, provided we get a good show at the Curragh.”

Likely favourite at present is Zhang Yuesheng's 2000 Guineas third Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), while Ryan Moore is on Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who proved such a disappointment when 11th behind him at Newmarket. Godolphin rely on TDN Rising Star La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who was runner-up to Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Newmarket's G3 Craven S. over this mile trip last time Apr. 15. Another TDN Rising Star, Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), will be missing from the Curragh after Joseph O'Brien withdrew Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. hero.

Friday's action sees the last two recognised Epsom Oaks and Derby trials takes place in the Listed Height of Fashion S. and Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Cocked Hat S., formerly known as the Lupe and the Predominate. The Lupe or Height of Fashion was won in 2000 by Love Divine (GB) (Diesis {GB}) and in 2010 by Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab) who went on to Oaks glory days later, but none of the eight entered this time even hold an entry in the June 4 Classic. The Cocked Hat is a different kettle of fish, with live Derby outsiders Stay Well (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) making up an intriguing contest. The former, who is owned by his breeders Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib, scored by eight lengths over 10 furlongs at Windsor Apr. 26 and trainer Hughie Morrison is looking forward to seeing him tackle the extra furlong here. “He was named Stay Well in recognition of the sayings this time last year 'Stay Alert, Stay At Home', not that he would stay well but his mother did stay very well,” he explained. “Martyn and Ben breed to win the Derby, so if you've got half a chance of running in the Derby that's what you do. It's close enough to it but my feeling is, if we were going to the Derby, we'd have to give him a very good gallop some time in the next 10 days. This is his racecourse gallop.”

Noel Meade said of Ballylinch Stud and Aquis Farm's G3 Zetland S. winner Lone Eagle, who was fourth in the G3 Sandown Classic Trial Apr. 23 and who carries a five-pound penalty, “He was a little bit disappointing at Sandown. He just didn't seem to spark, but then again it was his first time back and he is a lazy-ish horse. He does need motivating and he was a bit ring-rusty, so maybe we will see him in a better light. I needed to give him another run. It's not ideal having to carry a penalty. That's not good but at the same time if he's good enough, he should manage with it. I just wanted to get him out and get him running. Hopefully the track will suit him. We'll just see where to go from there.”

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Betway Partners with Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival

Bookmaker Betway announced it will become the betting partner of the Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival at The Curragh. The two-day festival, conducted May 22 and 23, encompasses six sponsored races, including the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas.

Evan Arkwright Racing and Sponsorship Manager for The Curragh commented: “We are delighted to welcome Betway to the Curragh for the first time and their support during such challenging times is a great confidence boost to The Curragh and Irish racing. Their brand will be associated with a variety of very competitive races which will give them maximum exposure over both days.”

The two-day program also features the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, G2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands S., G2 Lanwades Stud S. and G3 Heider Family Stable Gallinule S.

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Irish Guineas Glory For Siskin

There were a few nervous moments for connections of Siskin (First Defence) as Friday’s G1 Irish 2000 Guineas unwound, but class ultimately told in the first Curragh Classic of 2020 to end Ger Lyons’s agonisingly long wait for his red-letter day. Unbeaten on Irish soil last term, having captured the important juvenile staging posts of the G2 Railway S. and G1 Phoenix S. here, Khalid Abdullah’s homebred had lost his head in the stalls at the start of Newmarket’s G1 Middle Park S. to put a question mark into the minds of those around him. Slightly awkward from the stalls here having been hooded for loading, the 2-1 favourite was the picture of professionalism thereafter and the only concern was whether he could escape a pocket on the rail in the straight. Luckily, Colin Keane has all the makings of a future Irish star jockey and the assured 25-year-old dug Siskin out of the hole to swamp Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) with time to spare. At the line, he had built a 1 3/4-length margin over the eye-catching Vatican City (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who denied Lope Y Fernandez second by 3/4 of a length.

“This means everything, it means 30 years’ hard graft for everybody–to win a Guineas was always my number one and hopefully it’s the first of many,” Lyons said. “I’m delighted with the support we are getting from owners and the quality has increased year on year. That was hard work and full credit to Colin Keane. You don’t get a Guineas handed to you and they both stood up when it was needed. If there was a kink in that horse, then he wasn’t going to go through that gap. Colin is the best there is at the minute. He’s only a kid and he’s going to keep improving. I also want to thank Khalid Abdullah, who is watching in Paris I’m sure. They are the ultimate breeders.”

Siskin showed instant class on his Naas debut as long ago as last May, 13 days before coming here for the first of three contests and coming away with the Listed Marble Hill S. Adding the Railway to his tally in June, the uncomplicated bay again emerged on top in the Phoenix in August despite unsuitably soft ground and a potential disturbance caused by the loose Mount Fuji (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) on the way to the start. What happened at Newmarket on his intended season-closer remains a mystery to all bar him, so out of character were his antics and that episode could only plant a seed of doubt into Lyons’s mind as he prepared all winter long for this moment.

Unproven beyond six and up against a sizeable and classy Ballydoyle contingent, Siskin at least had a favourable inside draw and fast ground to fully complement his acceleration and a confident Colin Keane was happy to let him cruise in mid-division buried against the rail. With Fort Myers (War Front) and Royal Lytham (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}) forcing the pace up ahead, the Juddmonte silks could be spotted motionless passing the three-furlong pole behind that duo and another Rosegreen runner in Vatican City. Siskin looked trapped down there as Seamie Heffernan unleashed Lope Y Fernandez out wide two out, but as the latter veered right towards the already-crowded rail the gap came for the favourite and he was on the scene in an instant.

That brief spell of anxiety for watching connections was quickly replaced by elation as Siskin cut down Lope Y Fernandez with as much as 150 yards remaining. From there, he was able to stamp his authority on affairs as Vatican City delivered a taking late surge on his first start outside of maiden company. That runner-up was unable to get out of the crowd as soon as the winner had and so was possibly unlucky not to have finished closer, while Lope Y Fernandez may not have truly stayed the mile as he clung on to third from Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Keane, who was riding as if this was his umpteenth Classic win, reflected on what is bound to be a career-changer. “It means the world to win this for the boss–to get a horse of this calibre in the yard is the thing of dreams,” he said. “I am in a very lucky position, I wouldn’t be here without Ger so I’m just happy to pay him back with his first Classic winner. All he does is put confidence in you and he said to ride him like the best horse in the race.” Of Siskin, he added, “The more time we’ve given him, the better he’s become so it’s all worked out. I was little bit uneasy on the rail for a while, but the further he went the stronger he galloped and he has such acceleration. When the gap appeared, I had the horse to get there. The hood seems to help him in the stalls, so fingers crossed that will keep that at bay. He got the mile well today.”

Lyons admitted to some understandable jitters as he pondered this big day during the winter spell. “I was worried about this horse’s trip around February and March, but when we went into lockdown then I was confident that the mile wasn’t an issue,” he explained. “If we were a sprinter then we were in trouble, because we weren’t quick enough. He’s a very easy horse to train and no question he’s the best I’ve trained. We’ll probably go to Goodwood next for the [G1] Sussex, but I want to keep Colin on him and hopefully the 14 days [quarantine] will be gone by then. We are definitely skipping Ascot. We’ll have a chat about it, but that was the plan providing he was good enough today. I know he gets the mile and I wouldn’t draw a line through 10 furlongs at the moment.”

Siskin is the second foal out of Bird Flown (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who scored over seven furlongs on soft ground at Clairefontaine for Andre Fabre in 2013. She is a half-sister to the strong-staying listed scorer and G2 Hardwicke S. runner-up Barsanti (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and to the dam of the multiple grade I-winning champion Close Hatches and the aptly-named GI Kentucky Oaks third Lockdown by Siskin’s sire First Defence.

Close Hatches also went on to produce Tacitus (Tapit), who took last year’s GII Wood Memorial and GII Tampa Bay Derby and was also third in the GI Kentucky Derby and runner-up in the GI Belmont S. The listed-placed second dam Silver Star (GB) (Zafonic) is a full-sister to the G1 Dewhurst S.-winning champion Xaar (GB), while this is also the family of the GI United Nations H. hero Senure (Nureyev), the group 1-winning sire Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) and high-class sprinter Bated Breath (GB) (Dansili {GB}). From the dam line of the blue hen Monroe (Sir Ivor), Bird Flown’s 2-year-old filly is by Flintshire (GB), who has also provided her with a colt foal, while her yearling filly is by Noble Mission (GB).

Friday, Curragh, Ireland
TATTERSALLS IRISH 2000 GUINEAS-G1, €250,000, Curragh, 6-12, 3yo, 8fT, 1:38.49, g/f.
1–SISKIN, 128, c, 3, by First Defence
1st Dam: Bird Flown (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Silver Star (GB), by Zafonic
3rd Dam: Monroe, by Sir Ivor
O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Ger Lyons; J-Colin Keane. €145,000. Lifetime Record: 5-5-0-0, $492,325. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Vatican City (Ire), 128, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–You’resothrilling, by Storm Cat. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €50,000.
3–Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), 128, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Black Dahlia (GB), by Dansili (GB). (€900,000 Ylg ’18 ARAUG). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €25,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, NO. Odds: 2.00, 14.00, 4.50.
Also Ran: Armory (Ire), Fiscal Rules (Ire), Sinawann (Ire), Monarch of Egypt, Royal Lytham (Fr), Fort Myers, Rebel Tale, Free Solo (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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