2007 result

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Hat-Trick for Bolger as Intense Focus Gets the Nod in Dewhurst Thriller 18/10/08

1st 7 Intense Focus 20/1
2nd 8 Lord Shanakill 12/1
3rd 4 Finjaan 20/1

First Teofilo, then New Approach, now Intense Focus. For the third year running, a Jim Bolger-trained juvenile prevailed in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes when the Giant’s Causeway colt just held on in a thrilling three-way photo finish with Lord Shanakill and Finjaan, by two noses.

Bolger joked with the press pack after the race, saying: “I can’t tell you whether he’s going to run in THE Derby or not but I’ll have him entered. Would it be alright to tell you next March or April?”

He continued: “I was hoping that he’d be in the first three and I knew that he’d run at least as well as he had in Longchamp.

“Intense Focus is a tough, battling horse with a nice bit of quality and speed as well. Full marks to Kevin Manning - he gave him a great ride. He’ll come back here for the Guineas.

“He wouldn’t be far behind (Teofilo and New Approach) at this stage but it wasn’t as straightforward in getting him there and he didn’t handle the heavy ground very well which was why he ran a couple of ordinary races and probably after he ran his first bad race in soft ground we shouldn’t have run him on it again.

“He could well get a mile and a half next year. His dam had a fair bit of stamina. I sold her after her three-year-old year but I always expected she’d get a mile and a half and the sire got a mile and a half. There’s every chance he’ll stay a mile and a half and he’s a very handy horse.”

Kevin Manning added: “It was very, very close and I was between two horses, so I wasn’t 100 per cent sure if I had won.

“I asked Jim (Crowley on Lord Shanakill) and Richard (Hills on Finjaan) pulling up and none of us knew who had won.

"He travelled well for me and, when the gap appeared, he went through it - he kept going to the line. He likes that quick ground and hopefully he’ll keep progressing."

MANNING RECEIVES SUSPENSION FOR DEWHURST RIDE

Kevin Manning was called before the stewards after his winning ride on Intense Focus in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes. He was found guilty of improper riding after the stewards’ panel decided he had used his whip without allowing sufficient time to respond and was suspended for one day. The suspension falls on Saturday, 1 November.

MIXED EMOTIONS FOR BURKE, FINJAAN BACK ON TRACK

Trainer Karl Burke had mixed emotions after Lord Shanakill finished the nose runner-up in a thrilling three-way photo-finish to the Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes.

The 12/1 chance was just edged out by Intense Focus, with Finjaan only a nose back in third.

Burke said: “That was a fantastic run. I am delighted he has run so well but disappointed that we were just edged out.

“I knew he was over-priced at the start of the week, and was annoyed and insulted.

“He proved himself today and was just gallingly beaten on the line - that’s racing.

“All credit to Jim Bolger for his handing of the winner - his horse has been on the go all season as we have.

“He will be aimed at the Guineas next season. Hopefully, we can have a good year.”

Marcus Tregoning was pleased with the effort of Finjaan, who bounced back to form following a disappointing effort in the Shadwell Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket just over a fortnight ago.

Tregoning said: “He obviously got the trip fine today and Richard Hills gave him a good ride.

“It was just unfortunate to go down by such a narrow margin.

“However, this run shows we are back on track. He is a nice horse.

“Next season, we will probably start off over seven furlongs with him and see how he gets on.”

DARLEY DEWHURST STAKES (GROUP ONE)
£287,750 guaranteed, 7f, For 2yo entire colts and fillies Weights colts 9st 1lb; fillies 8st 12lb Entries 138 pay £750 1st Forfeit 59 pay £800; 2nd Forfeit 1 pay £20,000 Confirmed 24 pay £700 Penalty Value 1st £163,355.67; 2nd £61,923.79; 3rd £30,990.67; 4th £15,452; 5th £7,740.48; 6th £3,884.63

1 INTENSE FOCUS (USA) (Jackie Bolger) Jim Bolger IRE 2-9-1v1 Kevin Manning [1] 20/1
2 LORD SHANAKILL (USA) (Mark Gittins) Karl Burke 2-9-1 Jim Crowley [12] 12/1
3 FINJAAN (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Marcus Tregoning 2-9-1 Richard Hills [4] 20/1
4 SHAWEEL (Ahmed Al Maktoum) Mark Johnston 2-9-1 Greg Fairley [9]
5 DELEGATOR (Poilin Good) Brian Meehan 2-9-1 Jamie Spencer [8]
6 ASHRAM (IRE) (Mountgrange Stud) John Hills 2-9-1 Ryan Moore [10]
7 RIP VAN WINKLE (IRE) (Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith) Aidan O'Brien IRE 2-9-1 Johnny Murtagh [13] 6/4f
8 HUNTDOWN (USA) (HRH Princess Haya of Jordan) John Gosden 2-9-1 Frankie Dettori [5]
9 OUQBA (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Barry Hills 2-9-1 Martin Dwyer [6]
10 SOUL CITY (IRE) (Patrick Fahey) Richard Hannon 2-9-1 Richard Hughes [3]
11 GALPIN JUNIOR (USA) (Roldvale Limited) Brian Meehan 2-9-1 Ted Durcan [2]
12 PRIME DELIVERY (USA) (Prestige Racing) Robert Cowell 2-9-1 Shane Kelly [11]
13 EGYPT (NEW) (Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor) Aidan O'Brien IRE 2-9-1 Eddie Ahern [7]

13 ran
Distances: nse, nse, 1/2, 1, nk, hd, 1 1/4, 4 1/2, 1 1/4, 1/2, 7, 1/2
Time: 1m 23.33s
Breeder: Robert Clay & Airlie Stud
Breeding: b c Giant’s Causeway (USA) - Daneleta (IRE) (Danehill)
Totes: Win: £22.70 Places: £4.10; £4.50; £6.90 Exacta: £166.30

Winning Trainer:- Name: Bolger, Jim (James) Born: County Wexford, December 25, 1941 Based: Glebe House, Coolcullen, Co. Carlow, Ireland First Winner: Peaceful Pleasure, Roscommon, September 20, 1976 Classic Winners: Vodafone Derby (2008 New Approach), Irish Derby (1992 St. Jovite), Vodafone Oaks (1991 Jet Ski Lady); Irish Oaks (1983 Give Thanks; 2002 Margarula), English 1000 Guineas (2007 Finsceal Beo), Irish 1000 Guineas (2007 Finsceal Beo) Other Major Wins: Anglesey Sdtakes (1991 St Jovite); Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (2004 Alexander Goldrun), Craven Stakes (2005 Democratic Deficit), Darley Dewhurst Stakes (2006 Teofilo, 2007 New Approach, 2008 Intense Focus), Debutante Stakes (2006 Gaudeamus); Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial (1992 St Jovite); Futurity Stakes (1991 StJovite, 2006 Teofilo); King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (1992 St Jovite); Meld Stakes (2006 Heliostatic); National Stakes (2006 Teofilo, 2007 New Approach); Prix de l’Opera (2004 Alexander Goldrun); Prix Marcel Boussac (2006 Finsceal Beo); Rockfel Stakes (2006 Finsceal Beo); Vodafone Nassau Stakes (1986 Park Express, 2005 Alexander Goldrun), Phoenix Stakes (2007 Saoirse Abu), Moyglare Stud Stakes (2007 Saoirse Abu), Darley Yorkshire Oaks (2008 Lush Lashes), Matron Stakes (2008 Lush Lashes), Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes (2008 New Approach) Wins in Britain (2005-2007): 2; 2; 2; Wins in Britain this year: 6

Winning jockey:-Name: Manning, Kevin James Born: March 7, 1967 Based: Blackmiller Hill, Kildare, Ireland First Winner: Keynes (The Curragh, April 23, 1983) Background: His father Jim was a sales supervisor at the airport and used to take Kevin jump racing at weekends. While his brother and twin sisters did not share his passion, Kevin’s parents bought him a pony and were so impressed with his natural ability in the saddle that they sent him to Jim Bolger’s yard in 1982, for whom he rode his first winner, Keynes, at the Curragh in April, 1983. He was twice champion apprentice in Ireland in 1984 and 1987, when he beat Kieren Fallon and succeeded Christy Roche as Bolger’s number one jockey in 1993. Surprisingly, he had to wait until 2002 until his first Classic success, when he partnered Margarula to victory in the 2002 Irish Oaks. His first British winner on April 14, 2005, with Democratic Deficit in the Group Three Craven Stakes at Newmarket and he has won the last two running of the Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes at the Suffolk course courtesy of Teofilo (2006) and New Approach (2007) as well as the stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas with Finsceal Beo (2007). He has also enjoyed significant success on the international stage aboard Alexander Goldrun. Away from racing, Kevin is married to Jim Bolger’s daughter Una and they have two children. English Classic Winners (2): 1,000 Guineas (2007 Finsceal Beo), Vodafone Derby (2008 New Approach) Big Race Wins: Irish Oaks (2002 Margarula); Irish 1,000 Guineas (2007 Finsceal Beo), Ballycorus Stakes (2005 Democratic Deficit), Ballysax Stakes (2006 Rhythm N’ Roots), Brownstown Stakes (2004 Tropical Lady), Concorde Stakes (2002 Marionnaud), Craven Stakes (2005 Democratic Deficit), Darley Dewhurst Stakes (2006 Teofilo, 2007 New Approach, 2008 Intense Focus), Debutante Stakes (2006 Gaudeamus), Hong Kong Cup (2004 Alexander Goldrun), Meld Stakes (2005 Tropical Lady, 2006 Heliostatic), Minstrel Stakes (2003 Avorado), Nassau Stakes (2005 Alexander Goldrun), Phoenix Stakes (1994 Eva Luna), Pretty Polly Stakes (2005 Alexander Goldrun), Prix de l’Opera (2004 Alexander Goldrun), Prix Marcel Boussac (2006 Finsceal Beo), Railway Stakes (1994 Eva Luna, 2004 Democratic Deficit), Rockfel Stakes (2006 Finsceal Beo); Round Tower Stakes (2005 Abigail Pett), Royal Whip Stakes (2005 Tropical Lady) Wins in Britain (2005-2007): 2; 2; 3; Wins in Britain this year: 6