BOCKO MAKES QUITE THE START AS A SIRE

Ian Fortune

After a sensational racing career that saw him emerge one of the great Derby champions of recent times, Lenson Bocko made an incredible start to his career as a sire over the weekend.

He had his first runners as a sire on Friday night at Clonmel and things couldn’t have gone much better.

Bockos Toffee was his first runner and he produced a superb debut display to win by four and a half lengths in 28.95. It was fitting that the February ’21 whelp was bred, reared and trained by the Riverside Kennel outfit of Graham Holland, who expertly trained Lenson Bocko to his greatest successes during his career.

It was quite the start for Lenson Bocko but better was to come in the very next race with Riverside Fudge, a litter brother to Bockos Toffee, coming home a mile clear in a very quick 28.66. It was a tremendous run from the youngster as he took charge before the turn and proceeded to run out a twelve and a half length winner.

Incredibly, Tullovin Mindy, who found early traffic before coming home well to grab second was also a daughter of Lenson Bocko so his record now reads two wins from three starters with the other finishing second to one of the said winners.

The litter brothers are out of Riverside Honey, who during her own racing career was a brilliant stayer for Graham Holland. She remains a track record holder at both Romford and Shelbourne Park for the ultra-marathon trips.

Given his remarkable start, there will be plenty of attention on any Lenson Bocko progeny when they hit the tracks in the coming weeks and months but the early signs would suggest we will be hearing plenty of them and Lenson Bocko the sire in the future.