Awesome Finsceal Beo
Sunday 6th May, 2007
Finsceal Beo storms the field, picture by Steve Cargill
Wild scenes more reminiscent of Cheltenham and Aintree followed an awesome victory for Irish-trained 5-4 favourite Finsceal Beo in the Stan James 1000 Guineas, with owner Michael Ryan and his team treating the big Newmarket crowd to a rendering of ‘Dungarvan - My Home Town’ on the winner’s rostrum.
"That was fantastic - we have a super filly and a super trainer, and we’ll drink every pub dry of Guinness between here and Stansted Airport tonight," declared Ryan, who also has that top-class hurdler Al Eile.
Finsceal Beo bolted up by two and a half lengths from fellow Irish challenger Arch Swing, clocking the fastest time of any Guineas winner of either sex, but the ease of the triumph did not surprise her trainer Jim Bolger one bit.
"This is a brilliant filly, and I expected her to win like that," said Bolger. "The traumas of Teofilo are history and we have moved on, but fortunately Finsceal Beo enjoyed a trouble-free preparation.
"In early March we maybe weren’t getting after her enough, but when we stepped up her work she responded superbly and took everything we threw at her and got herself fit.
"She has always been a very special filly, and the plan now is the Irish 1,000 Guineas followed by the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and then the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh."
Reflecting on what has been a nightmare week for the Carlow stable, following the injury which ruled out Teofilo from the Stan James 2000 Guineas yesterday, Bolger added:"Our problems were miniscule compared to other things happening in the world, but, contrary to what John McCririck is suggesting, Teofilo worked brilliantly last Saturday week and it was only that last minute setback which knocked us out of the race.
" We just have to be patient, and the horse will get all the time he needs, and we won’t be able to make a decision on his future for another couple of weeks."
However, Bolger would not be drawn into claiming that Teofilo would have won. He added: "Take nothing away from Cockney Rebel, who was a good winner of a good Guineas. I was delighted for Geoff Huffer and also for Aidan O’Brien, whose horses ran so well."
Winning jockey Kevin Manning, celebrating his first Classic success, said:"Finsceal Beo did it very easily and she would have won at any distance.
"She is very special, and I was going so well that I thought ‘if anything is travelling better than me in behind then she must be exceptional’. My filly ticks all the right boxes, and Mr Bolger has done a brilliant job."
Story by Racenews