Racing: Parish Hall trainer prays for double

Last year’s shock Dewhurst Stakes winner bypassed the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month due to the rain-softened ground, but trainer Jim Bolger is intent on making up for it over the next week. The son of Bolger’s champion juvenile Teofilo has been well supported for the first Irish classic of the season and could then turn out in the Investec Derby at Epsom the following Saturday.

“I’d have gone for the Newmarket Guineas. That was the plan initially but the ground was not suitable,” said Bolger. “We have only one week between the races (Irish Guineas and Investec Derby) so we will have to see how he comes out of it. But he is a fairly hardy horse and I am expecting him to be fine after his run at the Curragh.

“I hope he wins at the Curragh. I think he is good enough to win a classic. I am very keen to get him to Epsom – if I thought the horse was well, I’d give it a go.”

Parish Hall may have missed Newmarket, but four of the 11 participants today did line up on the Rowley Mile.

The horse who finished furthest forward was French raider Hermival, who got within two and a half lengths of Derby favourite Camelot. One place back in fourth was Richard Hannon’s Craven Stakes winner Trumpet Major. Hannon feels the likely fast conditions this weekend will play to his colt’s strengths.

“We have always thought Trumpet Major was a good ground horse,” said Hannon. “He got away with soft ground in the Craven Stakes, but Hughesie [Richard Hughes] felt that similar conditions in the Guineas at Newmarket blunted his speed, so in the circumstances he ran a stormer to finish fourth, having looked the winner in the Dip.

“He did a nice piece of work with Hughesie at Everleigh on Tuesday, and, though it again looks very competitive, we have no Camelot to worry about. With the ground having dried up, he’ll hopefully be right there again at the finish.”

One of the biggest disappointments at Newmarket was the John Oxx-trained Born To Sea, who pulled very hard in the early stages and came home a well-beaten 12th. The Currabeg trainer hopes the application of headgear will help the half-brother to the legendary Sea The Stars settle better. “He’s been working away since Newmarket and going nicely,” said Oxx.

With Johnny Murtagh riding stable mate Takar for his boss, the Aga Khan, Pat Smullen partners Born To Sea. Takar was impressive in the Listed Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh this month and Oxx looks forward to testing the colt’s powers at a higher level. He said: “The race he won wasn’t as strong as it has been in previous years so we’re in the dark as to how good he is.

Aidan O’Brien is bidding for an eighth victory in the race and a fourth triumph in the last five runnings. The trainer’s son, Joseph, gets the leg-up on Power, who was a leading juvenile but came 17th in the Newmarket Guineas, while Team Ballydoyle have three more representatives in Wrote, Daddy Long Legs and Reply. Alkazim and Foxtrot Romeo complete the line-up. Tomorrow, O’Brien’s filly Homecoming Queen will attempt to follow her surprise victory in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket in the Etihad Airways-sponsored Irish equivalent at the Curragh.

In Britain, meanwhile, trainer Eddie Lynam feels Sole Power has “a good opportunity” of racking up back-to-back wins in the Betfred.com Temple Stakes at Haydock today. The top-class sprinter will be ridden for the first time by dual champion jockey Paul Hanagan on what is just about the Warrington-born jockey’s hometown track. Lynam said: “Everything’s gone very well and he’s taken everything in his stride. The good to firm ground looks ideal.”

l At a sun-drenched Goodwood yesterday the John Gosden-trained Michelangelo, in his second start, stayed on powerfully to deny the front-running Expense Claim in the Cocked Hat Stakes.

Richard Hughes helped Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Tommy’s Secret prove to be a little money very well spent in the Goodwood Maiden Auction Stakes, while Figaro (2-1 joint-favourite) took the honours for William Haggas and Ryan Moore in the TurfTV Bonus Handicap.

SELECTIONS

Curragh

3.15 Takar

Goodwood

2.15 Misdemeanour

2.45 Fiorente

3.20 Grumeti

3.55 Strong Conviction

4.25 Sea Moon

5.00 Aye Aye Digby (nap)

5.35 Ensejaam

Haydock

2.00 Moidore

2.30 Gabrial

3.00 Bated Breath

3.30 Ertikaan

4.05 Seeking Magic

4.40 Shahzan

5.15 Three Am Tour

5.50 Toymaker

Chester

2.25 Mandy Lexi

2.55 All Or Nothin

3.25 Singalat

4.00 Grissom

4.35 I’m Super Too

5.10 Chabada

5.45 Legal Eagle

6.15 Blown It

York

2.05 Eltheeb

2.35 Saamidd

3.10 Gulf Of Naples

3.45 Bajan Tryst

4.15 Pay Freeze

4.50 Pea Shooter

5.25 Invincible Hero

Lingfield

5.55 Lovely Pass

6.30 Oh So Spicy

7.00 Picabo

7.35 Cades Reef

8.10 Hill Street

8.40 Vicgernic

Newbury

6.10 Moody Tunes

6.45 Cio Cio San

7.15 Good Authority

7.50 Zhiggy’s Stardust

8.25 Timocracy

8.55 Cheers

Saturday Yankee

Aye Aye Digby

5:00 Goodwood

Toymaker

5:50 Haydock

Pay Freeze

4:15 York

Oh So Spicy

6:30 Lingfield

TOMORROW

Folkestone

2.25 Medic Man

2.55 Phoenix Des Mottes

3.30 Plunkett

4.05 Art History

4.40 Escort’men

5.10 Rebel Flag

Kelso

2.15 Makbullet

2.45 Freddie Brown

3.20 Crowning Jewel

3.50 Humbie

4.25 Rock Relief

5.00 Laura’s Light (nap)

5.30 Mason David Brown

Curragh

3.40 Homecoming Queen

Double

Laura’s Light

5:00 Kelso

Art History

4:05 Folkestone