Bolger colours to the fore in Apprentice Handicap

Two horses in the colours of Mrs Jacqui Bolger and bred by her husband Jim fought out the finish to the Padraig Fitzgerald Memorial Apprentice Handicap, as Mother Vincent (7/1) defeated Vocal Duke (16/1) by a length and three quarters.

The winning Vocalised filly, ridden by Luke McAteer, mastered the long-time leader and eventual runner-up, trained by Brendan Duke, inside the final furlong to build on the promise shown on her penultimate start when third in a big field at the Curragh.

The first two home were nicely clear of Lady In Lavender (8/1) and Light Breeze (7/1) in third and fourth, with the 3/1 favourite Calonne back in eleventh place.

"She didn’t break well at Gowran the last day and never travelled, said winning trainer Jim Bolger.

“She is named after a great grand aunt of mine who bought a site for the Mater Hospital and has a wing named after her. She also went on to set up 17 schools in Australia.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee