BRILLIANT BOLT RETIRED AND SET FOR STUD DUTIES
Ian Fortune
As has been said a million times over the years, “early pace wins the races”.
That was certainly the case with Jacktavern Bolt. Built in the same mould as so many of the great early paced greyhounds through history, the brilliant son of Pestana and Newinn Madam lit up the Irish track scene for all too brief a time in a racing career that lasted just one day shy of a full year.
Sadly, after picking up an injury earlier this year, the decision to call time on his racing career was just confirmed in recent days after failing to return to peak fitness. Of course, given his exceptional early pace, his stellar career and classic winning pedigree, it was an easy decision for Brendan O’Neill to send him to stud.
A WIN MACHINE FROM THE START
From the outset it was clear Jacktavern Bolt was going to be something of a win machine.
He debuted on May 5th, 2023 in the opening round of the Champion Unraced at Kilkenny and floated round in 29.10.
It all looked so easy for the youngster. Despite a tricky draw in five, he displayed real fluency into the turn to dictate the pace into the back straight before cruising clear of a quality line-up that included Jaytee Craze, Castleivy Ginge and Deadly Jet.
While bad traffic in the semi-finals ended his hopes of glory in the famous competition, he had shown enough to suggest he was going to be a force going forward.
It was a similar story in the Produce Stakes with opening bend congestion costing him his chance in the semi-finals but again he displayed plenty to be encouraged about.
In fact, such was the speed he was showing, his connections chose to throw him into even deeper waters against the best sprinters in the land in the Irish Sprint Cup at Dundalk. Despite his inexperience over two bends, he more than held his own to reach the semis.
Incredibly, for the third competition in a row, he would find traffic at the final hurdle and narrowly miss out on a place in the classic decider. It was the last time he would ever fail to make a final. It would also be the last defeat he would suffer for quite some time.
TAKING CORK BY STORM
Just a week after his Dundalk exit, he took his place in the opening round of the valuable Kasco Derby at Cork.
Despite having no experience of the Curraheen Park circuit, he would take the place by storm, going unbeaten through the four preliminary rounds and failing to see another rival before going on to start the 2-5 favourite in the €6,000 decider. Again, he was flawless, showing astounding early speed to dominate in a 28.26 success.
There was no decision to be made. Such was his brilliance through the Kasco Derby, he was immediately entered for the Laurels which was due to start a week later. On a run of five straight wins going into the classic, he quickly racked up wins six, seven, eight and nine.
The last four wins in the sequence would see him dominate in 28.07, 27.99 and 28.29 before beating a wonderful semi-final field with another flawless front running victory in 28.20. He had really become a man through the classic and was deservingly sent off the 2-1 joint favourite for outright glory.
Sadly, after a stunning sequence of nine straight successes, he would stumble at boxes in the decider, costing him his chance at classic glory.
THE END WAS NEAR
He would race just nine times more, winning two opens at Shelbourne and one at Limerick before contesting the Select Stakes at Waterford.
Once again, he was imperious through the early rounds, beating Derby runner-up Ballymac Finn, subsequent Champion Stakes winner Trinity Junior and exacting revenge on the Laurels winner High Trend to make the decider.
Displaying all his early speed, he would lead a top-class field into the turn but was clipped from behind, losing his chance in a matter of strides but also picking up a tendon injury that would effectively end his racing career. He would have just one more race on May 4th, 364 days after his debut.
He may not have been around for very long but he had a real impact and was a true joy to behold when in full stride. His early speed was exceptional as was highlighted by his sectionals around Cork. During his nine straight wins at the venue, he would post a stunning 3.18 as well as many sub 3.25 runs, a sequence scarcely ever matched, while his best 15.87 third bend sectional was spectacularly quick.
A PEDIGREE PACKED WITH PURE SPEED
Attempts have been made to bring him back to full fitness but the time is right to send him to stud.
And his pedigree is likely to attract plenty of breeders. As a son of the sensational Pestana, it’s is no surprise he had early speed but when you add in the fact that his dam, Newinn Madam, is a litter sister to one of the great early paced Derby champions Newinn Taylor, you start to see just why he had so much firepower to the turn.
It is clearly in the family as Bolt’s litter brother Ballinakill Alf was also blessed with incredible early speed as one of Ireland’s best over two and four bends through his career. We may never get to see Jacktavern Bolt burning into the turn again but, one suspects, we will see his progeny doing so in the coming years. Best of luck to Jacktavern Bolt in his new career and thanks for the memories.