Handicappers' Corner: Bolger takes Irish Derby with Trading Leather

No one could suggest that Jim Bolger failed to leave his stamp on the 2013 Irish Derby. Won by Trading Leather, trained and bred by him, owned by his wife Jackie, ridden by his son-in-law Kevin Manning, and sired by Teofilo, one of the sons of Galileo bred by Bolger that have put him firmly back at the Group 1 table.

With hindsight, it must be with regret that Bolger will look back at Epsom with Trading Leather left stood in his box as Dawn Approach pulled his chance away as the form Trading Leather showed at the Curragh suggests he would have held leading claims in the Derby.

Trading Leather earns a rating of 122 for his Irish Derby success, one which is nothing out of the ordinary for the race, in fact only Camelot, Treasure Beach and Frozen Fire failed to better it since the turn of the century. Historical standards give a range of 115-126 to expect the winner to have performed to. Conditions at the Curragh were on the quick side over the weekend, that a huge factor in the fast historical time, with only Galileo and St Jovite recording faster times in the last fifty years.

Although the efforts of both Ruler of the World and Libertarian were too bad to be true, the form of the Derby comes under serious scrutiny and has been pulled down, and both of those are now rated behind Trading Leather, their ratings currently 121 and 119 respectively. Galileo Rock also slips to 119 from 120. Cap O'Rushes, who was supplemented to act as pacemaker for Libertarian, but had shaped well at Royal Ascot in his own right, was just run out of third late on and increases his rating from 104 to 114.

The Irish Derby wasn't the only Group 1 action at the Curragh over the weekend as the 3-y-o fillies took on their elders in the Pretty Polly Stakes. In event, it was the older fillies that held sway, filling the first three places as Ambivalent led home Was and Shirocco Star.

Ambivalent hasn't always looked the most straightforward, and benefited from the run of the race from the front, but still has to be credited with improvement. A new rating of 114 though is the joint-lowest for winning the Pretty Polly since it was upgraded to Group 1 status in 2004. The two placed fillies remain rated ahead of her on 117 and 115.

The best of the rest of the action at the Curragh over the weekend comes courtesy of the Curragh Cup and Railway Stakes. Ernest Hemingway seemed to benefit from a longer trip and different tactics when impressively winning the former by 5 lengths. Cup races and the Irish St Leger could well be on his agenda later in the season now he is rated 118.

The Railway Stakes saw the quick return of Norfolk runner-up Coach House but he ran well below the level he showed at the Royal meeting. He loses the 'p' symbol but remains on 106. A reproduction of his Norfolk run wouldn't have been enough as it turned out anyway; the winner of the Railway, Sudirman, earning a rating of 110p while runner-up Big Time moves up to 108p.

Elsewhere, Chantilly hosted the Prix Jean-Prat where Havana Gold reversed Poulains form with Style Vendome who could manage only fourth. The bunched finish limits the view that can be taken of the form, and Havana Gold improves to only 118 from 115 despite historical standards suggesting a figure in the low 120s would be appropriate.

Back in Britain it was outside of pattern company that the most noteworthy performances were recorded. Tominator gained a second win in the Northumberland Plate to earn an increase in his rating to 113. Even more impressive later on the Newcastle card was Diescentric, who routed his field by running to 114 to defy a BHA mark of 96 in the 7f handicap.

Finally we end on a 2-y-o that plenty more will be heard of between now and the end of the season. Kingman ran to the kind of figure for a debutant that very much suggests it is a case of when, rather than if, he makes the grade at pattern level. In winning his Newmarket maiden by six lengths, he recorded bare form and time figures of 101.

An assessment of the closing 2f sectional Kingman recorded points to those figures underestimating his true superiority, so with that accounted for, he has been allotted a master rating of 106P. It was slightly surprising to hear his trainer John Gosden suggesting plotting a route to the Racing Post Trophy though, as Kingman's pedigree is blessed with plenty of speed and he certainly didn't look short of it on Saturday.

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