JIM Bolger is another handler that continues to rewrite the history books and the redoubtable septuagenarian became the first owner, trainer and breeder of a classic winner since Arthur Budgett in 1973 when Poetic Flare (117) emulated his sire Dawn Approach in winning the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.

The victory was a triumph for 54-year-old jockey Kevin Manning who commented after the famous victory that he thought his mount would win but did not think that it would be that close, glowing praise indeed for a colt who has now won four of his five starts.

Naval Crown (111) took the field along early with Poetic Flare who raced a little keenly in fourth, while runner-up Master Of The Seas (117) was dropped out by William Buick and third-home Lucky Vega (116) sat midfield.

The race developed on the far side with the main protagonists forging a couple of lengths clear of the field at the furlong pole and, although it seemed for most of the final furlong that the Godolphin colt would prevail, a masterful Manning extracted just enough from his mount to hold on by a short head.

The winner ran the final three-furlongs in 36.0 seconds which the second (35.78 seconds) and third (35.95 seconds) bettered so track position undoubtedly played a part in the victory.

However, the tenacity and speed Bolger’s colt displayed at Newmarket and on his seasonal debut at Leopardstown will always make him a hard horse to pass and I would back him to confirm the placings if renewing rivalry in the future. Naval Crown toughed it out for fourth but may always be vulnerable at this level given his run style.

The run of Chindit (108) is worth further inspection as the Richard Hannon-trained colt finished best of those on the near side, once again giving the impression that the further he goes the more he will progress. The son of Wootton Bassett ran the final three furlongs in 36.11 seconds in being beaten four and a quarter lengths.