Teofilo (Kevin Manning farside) and Holy Roman Empire (Mick Kinane) treat the huge crowd to a stirring finish in the Dewhurst Stakes. (Newmarket 14-10-06)
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Home-bred by Jim Bolger and named after the legendary Cuban three-time Olympic Champion Heavyweight boxer, Teofilo Stevenson, Teofilo is from the first crop of Galileo, hero of the 2001 Vodafone Derby, and out of Speirbhean, who Bolger trained to win the Listed 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown in 2001.

Speirbhean’s one previous foal was the filly Senora Galilei, a 10-furlong handicap winner in 2006. Described by Bolger as the best horse he has trained, even surpassing his 1992 Irish Derby victor St Jovite, Teofilo made his debut in a seven-furlong maiden at the Curragh on July 16, 2006, when sent off at 8/1, and after making much of the running he showed determination to rally and account for 4/5 favourite Red Rock Canyon. Stepped up to Listed class for his second outing, Teofilo was the ready winner of the seven-furlong Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown on July 29, coming home a length and three quarters in front of British challenger Middleham.

For his third run, Teofilo returned to the Curragh to contest the Group Two Futurity Stakes on August 26, when once again he stayed on in determined fashion, this time holding off the challenge of Eagle Mountain to score by a head. Teofilo’s juvenile season would progress even further with two Group One victories. At the Curragh on September 17, he put up a superb display, taking the lead over a furlong out to prove a length and a quarter too strong for 4/9 favourite Holy Roman Emperor in the National Stakes over seven furlongs. Teofilo was made 11/8 favourite when he reopposed Holy Roman Emperor in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on October 14, when he took up the running over a furlong from home before being headed by his Aidan O’Brien-trained rival. However, Teofilo showed great resolution to rally and regain the lead, eventually scoring by a head.

It has been mooted by Bolger that Teofilo could attempt the Triple Crown this year (Stan James 2000 Guineas, Vodafone Derby and Ladbrokes St Leger). If he were to achieve this treble, he would be the first horse to do so since Nijinsky in 1970. Teofilo suffered a slight training setback in mid-April and was restricted to swimming and walking for a week, although Bolger remains confident that the colt will make it to Newmarket for the Stan James 2000 Guineas. Teofilo was rated the best juvenile colt in Europe in 2006, with a rating of 123.

Race Record: Starts: 5; 1st: 5; 2nd: 0; 3rd: 0: Win & Place Prize Money: £349,516

Jim & Jackie Bolger
Born in County Wexford on Christmas Day, 1941, James Stephen (Jim) Bolger was educated at Enniscorthy CBS and the College of Commerce, Rathmines. The farmer’s son rode a handful of winners as an amateur. He initially trained and worked as an accountant before taking out a licence to train in July, 1976. He was based at Clonsilla, Co Dublin, close to the now-defunct Phoenix Park racecourse, before moving to his present base at Coolcullen, Co Kilkenny. His first winner was Peaceful Pleasure at Roscommon on September 20, 1976. He soon made an impact on the Irish scene, enjoying his first Classic victory with Give Thanks in the 1983 Irish Oaks. Over the years, Bolger has proved particularly adept at training fillies, such as the 1981 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Condessa, Flame Of Tara, winner of the Coronation Stakes in 1983 and later a high-class broodmare, Park Appeal, Park Express and Polonia. He has also enjoyed success over jumps and landed the Irish Champion Hurdle with Nordic Surprise in 1991 and with Chirkpar a year later. In 1991, Jet Ski Lady was a highly-impressive 10-length winner of the Vodafone Oaks, belying her 50/1 odds, while St Jovite only found Dr Devious too good in the Vodafone Derby the following year. St Jovite subsequently romped home in the Irish Derby by 12 lengths and then took the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot. Blue Judge was second in the 1993 Vodafone Derby, despite starting at 150/1. In recent years, his best horses have included the 2002 Irish Oaks victor Margarula, who sported the colours of his wife Jackie, and the globetrotting Alexander Goldrun who won five Group One races. A wonderful season in 2006 saw Bolger train both the top-rated juvenile colt and juvenile filly in Europe with Teofilo and Finsceal Beo. Jackie Bolger met her husband while he was working as an accountant and has always played a pivotal role in the stable. Jim Bolger once remarked: “Jackie and I have always been very much a partnership - I think this business lends itself to that.” The couple married on April 24, 1965, and have two daughters - Una (who is married to stable jockey Kevin Manning) and Fiona. The Bolgers have successfully developed a breeding operation and currently own around 30 mares. A number of famous names have worked for Bolger over the years including Tony McCoy, Aidan O'Brien, Peter Scudamore and Willie Mullins.

Jim Bolger’s Vodafone Derby record: 1988 Project Manager (9th), 1991 Star of Gdansk (3rd), 1992 St Jovite (2nd), 1993 Desert Team (11th), 1993 Blue Judge (2nd)

Jackie Bolger’s Vodafone Derby record: No previous runners