Jim Bolger is equally adept at training colts or fillies, but it was two members of the fairer sex that contributed most to another successful Bolger season last year and both fillies, Pleascach (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Lucida (Ire) (Shamardal), will be back for more this season. Pleascach is already a dual Group 1 winner; beating Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas and then nailing Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) in the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, so she has 'done her job' so to speak, but Bolger is more than hopeful the 4-year-old can add to her haul during the summer.
“She is back in training and should be versatile between 10 and 12 furlongs,” Bolger commented of the Godolphin colorbearer. “She was one of a very good crop of 3-year-old fillies last season and you'd have to hope she'll stand up well again this year. She is likely to return in May and while fillies' races will be targeted, we'd probably take on the colts at some stage too.”
Lucida also carries the all-blue silks, but so far a Group 1 victory has eluded the 4-year-old, something Bolger is keen to put right.
“Winning a Group 1 will be the big target with Lucida this year, as she was unlucky not to win one last year,” Bolger told At The Races. “We learned in her first couple of runs last season that she needed to be held up until the last minute and we probably then overdid it in the G1 Falmouth S., as when the gap appeared, Kevin decided to wait in order to carry out my orders to deliver her late, but the gap then closed when he wanted it. She picked up a hairline fracture after that which ruled her out for the rest of the season, but she's in good shape now.”
Bolger should have no trouble keeping the two fillies from clashing on the racecourse as he added, “A mile looks to be her trip, but I wouldn't be against trying nine furlongs with her if the opportunity presented itself. She is forward and it won't be too long before she appears.”
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