TRAINER Jim Bolger and jockey Rory Cleary combined for feature race success at Tipperary last Sunday with Clever And Cool (6/1), who landed the Group 3 Coolmore No Nay Never Fairy Bridge Stakes.

Carrying the colours of Marguerite Bolger, the Vocalised filly had previously won the rain-hit Listed Platinum Stakes at Cork by seven and a half lengths and today began in her customary slow manner. Cleary made progress on the outer rounding the final turn and the pair eventually made progress to wear down leader Matilda Picotte and score by a half-length.

Afterwards Bolger’s travelling head man Ger Flynn reported: “He didn’t run a bad race in the Cesarewitch up the Curragh the last day when only beaten five lengths but is her own worst enemy by dwelling coming out of the gates, despite the boss doing plenty work with her.

“On her last few runs she has been showing us what she is showing us at home and while she dwelt at the start again today, Rory said he was always confident she could get there and she went away and won well.

Big one

“That’s listed and Group 3 wins now and if she ever jumps, there’s a big one in her. You wouldn’t think she’s had four races in the last four weeks, her skin is like a seal. She is in the (Group 1) Matron on Saturday and the boss never shrugs a challenge - you have to be tough to be in Jim’s and she’s tough.”

The other stakes race was the five-furlong Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Abergwaun Stakes which provided trainer Michael O’Callaghan with a dream 1-2 result, as his Twilight Jet (15/8 favourite) beat stablemate Lokada.

Ridden by Leigh Roche, Twilight Jet made all in first-time blinkers and held on to beat his stablemate by a neck.

Delighted

O’Callaghan trains Twilight Jet for Michael and Julia Iavarone and the trainer said: “I’m delighted to get Twilight Jet’s head back in front because he hadn’t the most straightforward path to this as he had two surgeries over the winter. He had one for colic and had to have another surgery having slipped so it has been a long time coming back.

“He’ll go for something like the World Trophy (Group 3 at Newbury) or I might step him up to six (furlongs) but there are a few options for him in the UK.

“Lokada had a lot of headgear on her to try to get her to relax - we have been tricking around with her and always thought she had the ability to get blacktype. Today was huge for her and she might be able to win one of these now.”

Los Angeles has star potential

RACING began with the Camas Park Stud Irish EBF Maiden over nine furlongs which was won by Ballydoyle’s impressive newcomer Los Angeles (13/2), for the Coolmore partners.

Ridden by Seamie Heffernan, the Camelot colt quickened well to beat once-raced Surfers Paradise by two and a quarter lengths.

Afterwards stable representative Chris Armstrong reported: “He is a lovely horse and will come on an awful lot. It was a lovely introduction to bring him here and will be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year.

“He’ll improve a tonne for the run and something like the Beresford or the mile and two furlongs Criterium de Saint-Cloud could be next, but he is a horse to look forward to next year.

“Seamus gave him a lovely introduction and what he does at two will be a bonus. It’s grand to get him out now and see where he fits into the pecking order.”

The other maiden, sponsored by the Irish EBF, was a seven and a half furlong auction race and was won by another newcomer, the Jessica Harrington-trained Sea The Boss (5/1, for owners Hennessy and Acheson) which scored in style under Shane Foley.

Fine looker

Afterwards Harrington said: “We have always liked her, we liked her in the spring and she grew a lot. She is a fine looker and is only a frame filly, so is next year’s model. We’ll see what we do and there is the final of this series at Naas (October 15th) for her.”

Joseph O’Brien notched his first winner for owners Al Shaqab Racing in the Meadowview Stables Race, as Caracal (13/2) overcame a 511-days layoff to score on debut for the trainer.

Ridden by Conor Stone-Walsh, ex-French Caracal quickened smartly to eventually beat Lust by three-quarters of a length.

O’Brien said: “It’s great to get our first winner for Al Shaqab - we haven’t had many runners for them and it’s great to get the first win.

“He had been working smartly at home, but had been off the track for a long time so today was very much about getting him started. I thought it was a good performance against some good solid horses.

“He obviously had a hold-up in France, was off the track for an extended period of time with an injury and we have him for the last few months. I think he’ll stay further and there is a listed race in Cork over a mile which he could potentially go to, but we’ll see how he pulls up first.”

LOCAL trainer Tim Doyle completed a last-races double, beginning with Silkies Sib (11/2) which shed his maiden tag in the nine-furlong Breens Farm Machinery Apprentice Handicap under Sean Bowen.

Doyle reported: “He is improving with every run, but still has a lot to learn. Mentally he is still backward, but is as tough as they get and you couldn’t get to the bottom of him and every run is getting better.

“His half-brother (home-bred Silky Wilkie) was second in the Beverley Bullet yesterday and both are out of a good mare Vasoni who won five races for us.

“This lad isn’t as quick as the rest of the family but has that toughness. He might also make into a three-year-old hurdler.”

Thirty-five minutes later Doyle’s badly-drawn Maralinga (20/1) notched a second career success, and a first since 2021, when landing the concluding Great National Ballykisteen Handicap under Gavin Ryan.

“I thought his wide draw wouldn’t suit him and his style of racing as he likes to be up with the pace. Gavin said there was no point in trying to go forward from 21 so sat in and he said the horse loved it,” Doyle said.

“He wasn’t himself after his last run and seems to be best fresh. He is back to himself now and could go hurdling as the autumn progresses. It has been a great day.”