ENDA DREAMING OF MORE GLORY DAYS
Josies Orders heads trio for banks Boss Bolger
‘It’s not easy to get around. You need to know the lay-out’
WHEN it comes to the Cross-Country Chase at Cheltenham today, Enda Bolger is The Boss — with the endorsement of his good friend Bruce Springsteen.
The equine connection brought trainer and rock star together in New York many years ago and the two men forged an alliance which remains strong today.
‘I first got to meet Bruce backstage after a concert many years ago and the friendship went from there.
‘His wife Patti was big into horses. Their daughter Jessica is an international show jumper,’ said Bolger, whose fine chaser, Gilgamboa, is named after Springsteen’s chief minder.
‘I asked Bruce and he was delighted,’ he said.
Springsteen is playing Broadway this week, but he’ll be listening out for how Bolger’s horses do in the unique marathon, which winds its way over three miles and six furlongs full of 32 curious fences of bank, ditch and dyke.
On a walk yesterday in the rain, I spied a fence that was marked 2, 17 and 25, not something you see every day in National Hunt racing.
‘It’s not easy to get around. You need to know the lay-out and where you’re going,’ said Bolger.
The Limerick trainer has chalked up a record five wins in the unique marathon, all for owner JP McManus, and is triple-handed today as he saddles Josies Orders, Auvergnat and Cantlow, all owned by the Limerick businessman.
The former, who was awarded the race in 2016 on the disqualification of Any Currency, will be piloted by banks specialist Nina Carberry, who also won for Bolger on Heads On the Ground in 2007 and Garde Champetre (2008, ’09).
Bolger reckons no one can ‘cut corners’ better than Carberry who brings a ‘brilliant temperament’ to battle.
Canny Carberry will have to be at her sharpest as the odds against Bolger bagging a sixth CrossCountry crown have tilted with the introduction of high-class park horses to the race.
No longer is it the preserve of horses which got to a certain standard, to go no further, and so were re-routed to the challenges of cross-country to inject some enthusiasm.
Spot Thedifference was a great character for Bolger who used to get himself half tailed off before bolting up the hill under the late JT McNamara ‘because he knew the stables were close’.
While Garde Champetre, bred to run in a derby, used his turn of foot to deliver back to back CrossCountry titles in a race which is usually run at a steady pace before a hell-for-leather dash over the last two fences.
The second win of Garde Champetre in 2009 was memorable as he led home a Bolger 1-2-3 with L’Ami and Drombeag filling the placings.
Today, the £65,000 race is no longer a handicap and is contested by dual purpose horses, many of whom are proven at a high level on the track.
For instance, Cause Of Causes is a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner, Tiger Roll has won twice, while The Last Samurai is on the Aintree short-list .
‘Cause Of Causes is the best horse in the race,’ said Bolger (below). ‘He’s been second in a Grand National at Aintree which is way above anything our horses have done. He’s won three times around here and is going for a second win in the Cross Country. He’s the one to beat.’ ‘The track horses have more quality but our trio are here, in decent fettle, and will take them on. Cantlow may not like the ground but Josies Orders and Auvergnat should cope fine. They all have plenty of experience which is a plus,’ he said. Bolger has a second target to aim at this week as longstanding favourite On The Fringe is contesting the Foxhunter Chase on Friday.
Twice a winner of the CrossCountry, the 13-year-old is running at the Festival for the sixth year and is seeking to improve on last year’s fourth place in the amateur’s Gold Cup.
‘It will be difficult as he is getting on and Burning Ambition looks a deserved favourite but he’s here, he knows the place well and we seem to have sorted out a wee issue he had in November.’
On The Fringe has a fine record at the Festival which reads: third, third, first, first and fourth.
You could say he’s been centre stage, a bit like The Boss.