Signing Off and jockey Daire Davis© Photo Healy Racing
Jim Bolger hailed the “coolest ride of the year” as another of his proteges Daire Davis got off the mark today on 25/1 chance Signing Off in the 'Booka Brass Band' Handicap at Leopardstown.
Signing Off missed the break in the mile handicap and was adrift in last for much of the trip. However he made good headway in the home straight and eventually powered past his eight rivals before eventually leading close home, for a three parts of a length win over Tremendous Leap
Veteran trainer Bolger has nurtured many racing greats, including Aidan O'Brien and Tony McCoy, and later commented "that was the coolest ride of the year! Daire is with me about a year, and hopefully he can go on from here.
"This horse is well entered up (Killarney on Sunday and Leopardstown next Thursday) and hopefully he can carry a penalty."
Davis, 17 and from Maynooth, is a brother of fellow apprentice jockey Sean Davis and added “I knew with with the weight he had we'd a chance but coming up the back straight after missing the break, I didn't have much confidence but he just kept finding and finding.
“He's a lovely horse and once you get him out of the gates, he nearly does everything himself. He is very genuine.
“Sean (brother) sent me to Mr Bolger's and Ronan Whelan got me in and from then on the boss (Bolger) signed me on and has been very good to me and has given me plenty rides. I'm able to claim 10lbs off 8st4lbs.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
