Jim Bolger's excellent start to the new season continued in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden at Leopardstown today, winning with newcomer Focus On Venice

The son of Intense Focus, heavily backed from 4/1 in the morning and from 3/1 into 2/1 on track, was produced by Kevin Manning to lead inside the final furlong, eventually holding off the challenge of 11/10 favourite and promising newcomer Michaelmas by a head.

Afterwards Bolger stated “Kevin (Manning) said it was very hard to keep straight with the wind – they are difficult conditions today but he does seem to handle soft ground. We'll be stepping him up to seven furlongs and he's a horse I can see going on to better things.”

Quotes from Alan Magee