Bolger relaxed as Guineas approaches

PARIS (AFP) –

Irish jockey Kevin Manning (L), the rider of Irish horse Alexander Goldrun, and its trainer Jim Bolger display the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin race track in Hong Kong, December 12, 2004. Bolger, responsible for English 2000 Guineas favourite Dawn Approach, told AFP on Wednesday he is not feeling the pressure just days away from the first classic of the flat racing season.

Irish training great Jim Bolger, responsible for English 2000 Guineas favourite Dawn Approach, told AFP on Wednesday he is not feeling the pressure just days away from the first classic of the flat racing season.

The 71-year-old – trainer of 47 Group One winners round the world including eight classics – added he couldn’t be more pleased with his three-year-old colt who finished last season unbeaten in his six starts and claimed the prestigious Cartier two-year-old colt of the year award.

The cerebral and canny Irishman – whose dry and sharp sense of humour sets him apart from most of his rivals – said although Dawn Approach had put on eight kilogrammes over the winter it wasn’t something that unduly worried him.

“I don’t do pressure,” said Bolger.

“Regarding Dawn Approach he’s very well. I don’t train by the scales and I am happy that we didn’t race him in the Greenham Stakes (a Guineas trial at Newbury in England).

“I am very happy all in all. His qualities are his class.”

Bolger, who trained his first Group One winners in 1981 with the filly Condessa landing the Yorkshire Oaks after coming from the clouds to win and Erins Isle taking the Tattersalls Gold Cup, said Dawn Approach was a different character to his sire New Approach.

New Approach, also trained by Bolger, got edged out in both the English and Irish 2000 Guineas by the Aidan O’Brien trained Henrythenavigator in 2008 before going on to win the Epsom Derby and the Irish Champion Stakes.

“Dawn Approach is much more relaxed and easier to handle than New Approach,” he said.

“His mare hadn’t produced much in terms of winners before him but we knew once we put somebody on his back that he was top class.”

Bolger is clear on how good he believes him to be.

“He is the best I have had over a mile. St Jovite (winner of the 1992 Irish Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes as well as runner-up in the Epsom Derby) is the standout and is rated joint seventh in the horses of all time,” he said.

Bolger said he didn’t have one challenger specifically in mind as a danger on Saturday saying he respected them all although in the betting Toronado, trained in England by Richard Hannon Senior is his major rival after an impressive win in the influential trial the Craven Stakes.

Bolger had made a typically witty remark last week when he had said he would never have called a horse after a ‘clapped out coupe which had been taken off the market in 1992′.

When asked what he was driving in that year he told AFP:”I was driving a Mercedes Benz, a marque which has never been taken off the market since day one.”

Such is Bolger’s relationship with Dawn Approach that while Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum bought 51percent of him after his win at Royal Ascot last year for his Godolphin Operation he decided by the time he won the Dewhurst Stakes in October to leave him in Ireland.

Sheikh Mohammed’s normal practice was to take away the horse and place him with one of his two trainers but in retrospect leaving him with Bolger was one of the best decisions taken by the Sheikh.

Last week one of the Godolphin trainers Mahmood Al Zarooni was banned for eight years after 11 of his horses tested positive for steroids, he admitted another four who had not been tested also had been given the banned substance, and the stable was locked down by Sheikh Mohammed.

Bolger, though, would not be drawn on a win for Dawn Approach being a much needed piece of good news for his under pressure owner and added it wasn’t for him to suggest a global doping policy for horse racing should be introduced.

“It will be a great day for all concerned,” he said.

“I have a policy of not interfering in the foreign affairs of another country,” he added in reference to individual country’s doping laws.

As for final preparations for his stable star Bolger preferred to keep them to himself, though, with his typical humour.

“That’s a state secret. Like your former President Nicolas Sarkozy I don’t divulge my travel plans.

“It’s the only chance I get to feel important.”