Parish Hall

Jim Bolger has won the Tyros Stakes with Teofilo and New Approach in the past few years, and it was Bolger's Parish Hall, who finished second in this year's renewal, who could be the horse to take out of the race.

He travelled well just in behind his lesser-fancied stable companion, alongside the short priced favourite Tenth Star, and picked up nicely as they turned into the home straight, immediately kicking into a three or four length lead. He stayed over on the far rail though, the slowest part of the track at Leopardstown when the ground is on the easy side, which it was on Thursday. In contrast, the winner Rachel Alexander came widest of all, probably benefitting from so doing. It looked like a definite plan from the Bolger camp for Parish Hall to stay on the far side and kick on early as he darted up the inside of his stable companion around the turn, whereas the other jockeys all made clear their intention to come down the middle of the straight. It is hard to say how much Parish Hall was disadvantaged by staying on the far side, and just how much Rachel Alexander was advantaged by coming widest of all, but Parish Hall is clearly well regarded given how much ground he quickly took out of the rest of the field when pushed into the lead. It may be that he put up a better performance than the winner.

This was only the Teofilo colt's second ever run, he had won his maiden nicely on his debut, he has considerable potential, and he will probably be better on better ground. The winning time was good for juveniles, faster than the older horses clocked in the handicap over the same distance a half an hour later. As well as the top Coolcullen horses, the Tyros Stakes has also been won by Zoffany, Cape Blanco and Rip Van Winkle in recent times, and it could well be that the race throws up at least one other very good horse again this year. It would be no surprise if Bolger has some top targets in mind for Parish Hall for later in the season, including the Dewhurst, in which the trainer has such an enviable recent record.

21st July 2011

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