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‘He’s Had An Amazing Career’ – Bolger Salutes Manning Upon His Retirement

Jim Bolger has offered up a glowing tribute to multiple Group 1 and Classic-winning stable jockey Kevin Manning, who at the age of 55, announced his retirement from the saddle after riding a winner for his legendary father-in-law at Galway.

Manning joined Bolger in 1978. Together, they won the Derby with New Approach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the Irish Derby with Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and came within a whisker of completing the 1,000 Guineas treble with Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr Greeley), who went out on her shield at Longchamp in 2007 following her Curragh and Newmarket triumphs.

The pair recorded their second 2,000 Guineas victory, eight years after bagging their first with Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), just over 12 months ago courtesy of Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) but Bolger described himself as delighted to see Manning get out of the game in one piece shortly after he partnered the stable's 4-6 favourite Vocal Studies (Ire) (Vocalised) to victory on Monday.

Bolger said, “Kevin has had an amazing career with 1,700 winners or thereabouts. We've had a great time and it had to end at some stage. Thankfully, he's getting out in one piece and on his own terms. I'm sure he will be very happy from here. I knew it wouldn't go on forever and I'm delighted that he's going out on his own terms and going out on a winner.”

Bolger put forward Teofilo (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), New Approach and Trading Leather as “the big three” when asked to list the highlights of a trainer-rider relationship that has lasted over 40 years.

He said, “The highlights, with all the Group 1 wins and Classic victories, were great and we enjoyed them thoroughly. The first big one that meant so much for us would have been Teofilo in the Dewhurst.

“He was the first of five Dewhurst winners for us and it was made extra special for the fact that he was a homebred. Teofilo was also the first of three champion two-year-olds for us so he was an extremely special horse for Kevin and I.”

Bolger added, “Trading Leather winning the Irish Derby and of course New Approach winning the Derby at Epsom were excellent days also. So Teofilo, Trading Leather and New Approach, they were the big three.

“We had lots of other great days on the track together and winning the Hong Kong Cup with Alexander Goldrun (Ire) (Gold Away {Ire}) in 2005 was very special. I think Kevin joined me in 1978 so he's been here a very long time–I don't think he was quite 15 when he joined us!”

Manning was twice crowned champion apprentice in Ireland before being announced as Bolger's stable jockey in 1993. It didn't take long for the pair to enjoy top-flight success as Eva Luna (Ire) (Double Schwartz {GB}) landed the 1994 Phoenix S. the following year.

He rode his first Classic winner aboard Bolger's Margarula (Ire) (Doyoun {GB}) in the 2002 Irish Oaks and Alexander Goldrun was the first household name he was associated with.

Manning, who is married to Bolger's daughter Una, with whom he has two children, said on Monday, “I have been very lucky to ride some very good horses along the way and owe Jim and Jackie everything.

“I was suspended for this weekend, which is the end of the grass season, and I had some good rides today and said to myself it is time to call it quits if one of these wins.”

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Classy Sprinters Head Tuesday’s Goffs HIT Sale

One of the main attractions of the Goffs Autumn Horses In Training Sale on Tuesday is Gustavus Weston (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}), the four-time winner whose career highlight came when he landed the G2 Greenlands S. at the Curragh last year.

On that occasion, Joe Murphy's charge was chased home by Make A Challenge (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a 10-time winner for Denis Hogan, who is also in the sale.

Hogan said of his eight-strong draft, “We've a nice draft of horses going to Goffs. We'll be sorry to see some of them go. We've eight going and Ransom (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who won just the other night at Dundalk, is in there.

“So is Florence Thompson (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who has placed about 20 times for us. There's some of them we'd love to keep and, if some owners were to express an interest, we could look at doing that.”

Those classy sprinters will be joined by a much-reduced but quality trio from the Aga Khan Studs. It features Riyami (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), rated 66 and winless in five starts for Michael Halford, the 77-rated Karakoul (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}), who has placed three times, and 1m4f winner Shajak (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}), both of whom are trained by Johnny Murtagh.

The supplementary lots for the sale are well worth checking out as well. Listed as lots 136 to 144, they are headed by the Group 3-placed Strong Johnson (Ire) (Le Cadre Noi {Ire}) from Beechcourt Stables.

Graduates from this sale have made an impact all over the world, none more so than Melbourne Cup winner and Irish St. Leger runner-up Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was bought Glebe House Stables by Kerr & Co Ltd for €200,000 in 2018.

Saltonstall is another high-profile graduate. Sold by Michael Halford's Copper Beech Stables in 2018 for €44,000 to Shamrock TB/Compas Equine, Saltonstall (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) has proved to be a money-spinner for the Ado McGuinness stable and notched his ninth career success last month at Leopardstown.

Hot on the heels of the horses-in-training sale is two days of yearling sales at Goffs on Wednesday and Thursday. The Autumn Yearling Sale has punched above its weight in recent years with Quick Suzy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) a notable graduate.

Quick Suzy was snapped up by Aoife Dunphy for just €20,000 when this sale took place online in 2020. She went on to win the Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot for Gavin Cromwell and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

The Autumn Horses In Training Sale kicks off at 12pm on Tuesday while the Autumn Yearling Sale begins at 10am on Wednesday and Thursday.

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Dettori To Winter, Possibly More, at Santa Anita

Superstar European rider Frankie Dettori has announced that he will ride at the Santa Anita meet, starting with opening day, Dec. 26. Dettori made the announcement on the Nick Luck Daily podcast.

“I think I will possibly spend the winter in California at Santa Anita where I started many years ago as a young boy,” Dettori said. “I did four lovely winters there in the late eighties. I've been doing my winters in Dubai the last few years, but I'm getting a lot of requests from trainers to come over. So I thought `why not?' I want to give it a go. It's a place that I am a big fan of and am very fond of Santa Anita. I am looking forward to the challenge. This is the plan for the winter.”

Dettori had ridden frequently in the U.S., but usually comes in just for major races. He said he has no such plans for Santa Anita and said that he is committed to riding there regularly.
“If you're going to do it, you have to do it properly,” he said. “That's why I am starting on opening day.”

Dettori said he was planning to return to Europe when the flat season gets underway, but said he could extend his stay in the U.S. if he picks up a contender for the GI Kentucky Derby.

“Who knows, I might find a nice 3-year-old that heads to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in May,” he told Luck. “I am keeping all my options open. I am going there with a clean slate and am looking forward to the challenge. I don't want to look too far ahead. My main concern is to get there for Boxing Day and start from there. You never know what will happen. I might land on a nice 3-year-old and things can take a different path. At the moment, my focus is to do well and take it from there.”

Dettori has had one Derby mount, finishing sixth aboard China Visit (Red Ransom) in 2000.

Dettori has hired veteran agent Ron Anderson, who also books mounts for Joel Rosario and John Velazquez.

“Ron Anderson is a top class agent and also a good friend for so many years,” Dettori said. “I had a chat with him and he will take me under his umbrella of jockeys and help me out. He's a good person to have on your side.”

Dettori had been riding in Dubai during the winters. He told Luck that riding at Santa Anita will be a new challenge for him, something he relishes at this stage in his career.

“Dubai been easy for us,” he said. “It's only down the road. But at this stage at in my career, I've done a lot in Dubai. I need a fresh challenge and this opportunity came up. With people telling me they want me over there, why not? Better late than never. Let's give it a go.”

Dettori has had 70 mounts over his career at Santa Anita with four winners.

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Observations: Sea Of Class Brother Set for Kempton Bow

14.25 Saint-Cloud, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT
Christoph Berglar's homebred NIGHT OASIS (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is kin to two black-type performers out of a stakes-placed half-sister to MG1SW sire Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) and this term's G1 Irish Oaks heroine Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Waldemar Hickst's representative is confronted by nine in this debutantes' contest, including Haras d'Etreham's 200,000gns Tattersalls December foal Sea Salinas (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who is a Francis Graffard-conditioned half-sister to G1 Premio Lydia Tesio winner Sortilege (Ire) (Tiger Hill {Ire}); Christopher Head incumbent Neomeris Fr) (Anodin {Ire}), a half-sister to MGSW sire French Navy (GB) (Shamardal); and Guy-Roger Petit's Miss Lilibeth (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}), who is an Alex Pantall-trained daughter of G1 Prix Morny victrix Silca's Sister (GB) (Inchinor {GB}).

14.28 Kempton, Nov, £9,900, 3yo/up, f/m, 8f (AWT)
Godolphin's hitherto unraced 3-year-old distaffer WHISPERING ROMANCE (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) was one of nine millionaires at Tattersalls' 2020 October Book 1 fixture and makes her belated debut for Charlie Appleby in this one-mile test. Her eight rivals include the once-raced John and Thady Gosden trainee Lady Loulou (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who is a out of a Group-placed half-sister to MG1SW sire Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal).

15.38 Kempton, Mdn, £16,000, 2yo, 8f (AWT)
Sunderland Holdings' AMLETO (IRE) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was the highest-priced Tattersalls December yearling at 240,000gns last year and debuts for the William Haggas stable responsible for his G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks-winning full-sister and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up Sea Of Class (Ire). The June foal's seven stakes siblings also include G1 Premio Lydia Tesio-winning G2 Oaks d'Italia heroines Charity Line (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) and Final Score (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}). His opponents are headed by Valmont's once-raced €120,000 Goffs Orby yearling Mr Buster (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who is out of an unraced full-sister to MG1SW champion Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), from the Ralph Beckett stable; and Pat Fitzsimons's Blue Antares (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a once-raced half to MG1SW sire Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal), who travels south from Charlie and Mark Johnston's Yorkshire base.

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