Mac Swiney (Ire) | Horse Racing Free Tips

19 Stand Their Ground in G1 Cazoo Derby

There are 19 colts remaining in the 1 1/2-mile G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 5.

Leading the way is current favourite and G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. hero Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of six for Aidan O'Brien and the various Coolmore partners. Joining the G3 Ballysax S. victor from Ballydoyle are: former race favourite High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the G2 Beresford S. at two and was third in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. to Godolphin's Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on May 13; G1 Criterium International winner and G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Van Gogh (American Pharoah); and the winners Sir Lamorak (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Besides Hurricane Lane, Charlie Appleby and Godolphin have also kept in the group-placed Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and the G3 Autumn S. winner and G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. second One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Adayar will be ridden by Oisin Murphy.

“Godolphin and Charlie Appleby have given me the ride,” Murphy told Sky Sports Racing. “I had a sit on him last week. He felt really nice-it was a sensible canter, but he's a gorgeous horse, improving type, bred for the job. I'm super excited to be involved in the race. I'd like to win a Derby-hopefully it's this year.”

Fresh off a win in the G1 Tattersalls Ireland 2000 Guineas, Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who won the Vertem Futurity Trophy S. at two, will contest the Blue Riband for Jim Bolger. Mark Johnston's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is another to take his place in the Epsom showpiece for owner Teme Valley. Ahmad Al Shaikh's Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who won the G3 Chester Vase S. on May 5 for Andrew Balding, is also slated to start.

Anamoine Limited's John Leeper (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a son of 2010 G1 Oaks heroine Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab) and named for trainer Ed Dunlop's father John, also stands his ground. He won the Listed Betway Fairway S. on May 15. Other listed winners set to take part are: Group 3 winner and May 21 Listed Cocked Hat S. victor Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for Martyn Meade, Aquis Farm and Ballylinch Stud; Listed Betfair Newmarket S. victor Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) for the William Haggas/Shadwell axis and Roger Varian and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Third Realm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who saluted in the Listed Novibet Derby Trial S. on May 8.

Rounding out the field is the winner Southern Lights (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) for Aquis Racing, Al Mamoura Partnership and Joseph O'Brien; Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) for Richard Hannon and Amo Racing Limited; and Luke Comer's Seattle Sound (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

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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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Poetic Flare Backs Up in Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas

Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), the winner of the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas, is among the 14 entries for the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas. The bay Jim Bolger homebred won the G3 Killavullan S. at two, and was first past the post in the Listed Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” 2000 Guineas Trial S. on Apr. 11 prior to his 2000 Guineas score. He most recently contested the G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp in very soft ground to finish sixth.

His Group 1-winning stablemate Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and fellow top-level scorers Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) from the Jessica Harrington yard, Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) for Joseph O'Brien and Van Gogh (American Pharoah), one of three for Joseph's father Aidan, are also signed on.

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