The Boomerang Mile Guide 2021

Jim Bolger is yet to land a renewal of the Boomerang Mile, however holds leading claims through current market leader, Mac Swiney.

The son of New Approach is a mud lover, signified by his Group 1 victory on his final run last season as a 2yo.

The runner stepped up on his 4th placed re-appearance run at Leopardstown to land the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas in the mud at The Curragh, edging out Poetic Flare by a head, highly respectable form.

He has since stepped up to middle distances, however was disappointing when well beaten in the English and Irish derbies (12f) with 4th and 6th placed finishes.

Mishriff was dominant in the International Stakes last time out at York however it was a more encouraging run from Mac Swiney back down at 10f, beating the likes of Alcohol Free and getting within 1.5 lengths of Love.

The step back down to 8f in a Group 2 looks like it should suit and should the ground become testing on race day, he looks a leading contender.

Ger Lyons won this contest back in 2013 and teams up for this years renewal with current Irish flat champion jockey Colin Keane on board whom he boasts a 23% strike rate when teaming up with this season.

Maker Of Kings has held his form well this season, finishing runner-up in a pair of competitive handicaps at the start of the season before stepping up to land the Amethyst Stakes over C&D on his penultimate start ahead of re-opposing rivals Erzindjan and Snapraeterea.

The son of Zoffany was subsequently stepped up to 9f at the track next time out and managed to get within a shoulder of eventual winner Japan who has recently placed 2nd in a Grade 1 race in Saratoga (USA), further boosting the form of that runner-up finish.

Maker Of Kings is now tasked off stepping back down to the 8f trip and is upped into a Group 2.

The runner doesn't look to have reached his ceiling just yet and can continue improving against tougher opposition.

Jessica Harrington has a 25% strike rate with 4yo+ turf horses at Leopardstown this season, paying dividends to the chances of her entrant, Njord.

The son of Roderic O'Connor was an impressive winner of the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot (8f) on his final run last season and has performed notably down at 7f this season with runner up finishes in the John Of Gaunt Stakes (G3) and the Minstrel Stakes (G2).

He was very much weighted out of proceedings on his penultimate run at Galway over 8.5f back in a premier handicap however he bounced straight back to form when 3rd in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes last time out at Newbury.

A soft 8f looks his optimum trip and should he get that come raceday, he looks a solid option in the race having not finished outside the first 3 in his last 3 Group affairs.

Joseph O'Brien's Thunder Moon was an extremely 2yo, landing a Group 1 on just his 2nd career start.

The son of Zoffany was somewhat below par on his return this season however, with down the field finishes at Newmarket and Ascot, although those runs do look as though they can be excused given they both came on seemingly unsuited fast ground.

The return to softer ground saw him go close over 7f back in France on his penultimate run in a Group 1 contest, running on well for pressure late on before just running out of steam in the final yards; however last time out saw a drop to 6.5f at the same venue result in an 11th of 12 placed finish upon soft ground once more.

It's patchy form and it remains difficult to gauge whether the step back up to 8f will suit the runner.

An intermediary trip between 7f-8f may just be the answer, though it remains difficult to completely discount his chances in this.

Richard Fahey's British raider, Fev Rover, was highly impressive when finishing 3rd in the Group 1 1000 Guineas (8f) at Newmarket on fast ground on his seasonal re-appearance in May.

The son of Gutaifan has disappointed the last twice however, at the Curragh in the Irish 1000 Guineas (G1, 8f) and when finishing a well beaten 6th in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes last time out, again upon heavy ground which has suited in the past.

The drop into a Group 2 may spark some sort of revival for the runner and may allow us to see him in a better light.

If replicating his earlier Group 2 winning and Group 1 placed form, he would have more than just a chance in this for Fahey who won this race as recently as 2019.

Jessica Harrington's second entrant in the field is Real Appeal who has progressed well this season over 7f.

The 4yo gelding improved from his smart handicap form to land the Group 3 Ballycorus stakes here at Leopardstown in June (7f).

He was subsequently stepped up to today's C&D, however was no match for the front 2 which included re-opposing rival Georgeville on that occassion, travelling well before losing second and keeping on to see out the trip.

He has some scope to improve again for his second attempt at the trip, however looks up against it now upped in grade and has work to do to reverse that form with Georgeville.

Joseph O'Brien's entrant, Snapraeterea, has won a duo of listed contests this season, both over 7f trips upon soft ground at Naas and last time out at Cork.

The son of Buratino is yet to win over the 8f trip however has shown promise of seeing out the trip thanks to the manner he won last time out, running on gamely in the final furlong to win by an eventual, eased down, 4 length margin.

His limitations are fairly exposed at Group 3 level, albeit over differing trips, however his last effort in Group company over C&D, resulted in a 3.5 length beating by re-opposing rival, Maker Of Kings.

This Group 2 contest, despite coming into it in better form than previous attempts at Group races, looks to be a tall order.

Adrian McGuiness entrant, Current Option, overcame the odds to land a 15 runner deep Premier Handicap at Galway in August (7f), despite being hampered by a loose horse from a furlong out.

That run was a bounce back to form for the son of Camelot since a solid 2nd placed finish in the Group 3 Gladness Stakes was followed by a 4th/5 placed finish back down in listed company at Haydock (7f) and a 4.25 length 4th in the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes behind re-opposing rival Njord (7f).

The runner is 1 from 1 here at Leopardstown thanks to a neck win in a 7f premier handicap here as a 3yo however he again disappointed last time out at Cork finishing 9th of 10 back down in listed company.

The jump back into a Group 2, paired with the need for him to bounce back and run a careers best to win, appears far fetched.

Ger Lyons is in great form of late with a 30% strike rate across the last 14 days, his second race entrant, Georgeville, is very much an improving type, signified by his step up from handicap company to Group 3 level last time out.

The son of Dawn Approach clearly has stamina in his pedigree to finish 3rd in a 10f premier handicap here at Leopardstown, however was subsequently stepped down to the C&D trip last time out to finish 2nd in his first Group race, keeping on at the finish.

He's clearly got potential to land a race of the calibre however theirs question marks over the trip and his ability to match the pace of the out and out milers in this Group 2 contest.

If the ground was to turn heavy and create a testing mile for the runners, he would hold better claims.

Aidan O'Brien is the leading trainer in the contest with 6 previous wins.

The first of his entrants in this years renewal is Khartoum who landed a soft 8f handicap contest at Naas on his second run back this season before subsequently disappointing in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Ascot next time out back down at 7f with a 10th placed finish.

The son of Pioneerof The Nile proved 8f was his optimum trip next time out when finishing 2nd in listed company at the Curragh however he failed to improve for the step back into Group company next time out at Goodwood and subsequently was below par next time out back in listed company at Killarney.

He's still only 3-years-old and has plenty of improvement to come however the step back into a Group 2, based on past exploits, appears beyond his current capabilities.

Trainer Dermot Weld is in fine form of late with a 22% strike rate across the last 14 days.

His entrant Erzindjan went close over C&D in the Group 3 Amethyst Stakes in May however unsuccessful tries at 10f and 9f followed in Group races and a step back down to 7f in listed company resulted in a 4 length beating into 3rd behind re-opposing rival, Snapraetera.

The return to C&D last time out did bring out a better showing with a solid 4th placed finish despite finding himself short of room and having to do a lot of work in the final furlong.

It will be interesting to see, should he get a better run of things this time around, if he can reverse that form with Georgeville and Real Appeal.

Having said this, this Group 2 still appears above his current levels of performance and he still has plenty to find.

Eye-catchingly, Aidan O'Brien has placed Ryan Moore aboard entrant Horsoscope for the contest with the jockey usually touted as the trainers first string rider.

Horoscope himself bounced back to form last time out at Killarney with a solid 2.75 length listed win over the 8f trip.

Prior to that run, his form was patchy, having placed in listed company on his seasonal re-appearance before dropping back down into handicaps with differing levels of performance across each.

The son of No Nay Never was an expensive 300,000 guineas purchase and it would be no surprise to see him take well to Group racing given his pedigree.

Appears overpriced based on those priced similarly to him in the market.

Military Style is probably going to be in need of the run on his belated seasonal re-appearance on the back of a 363 day break.

Having said this, if he was fit and firing, the currently quoted 40/1 looks huge value for the runner who ran out a neck winner of a Group 3 contest here at Leopardstown as a 2yo, beating subsequent Group 1 winner Van Gogh.

That form is fairly strong and the son of War Front should improve vastly from this run.

Regardless of potential however, to even place in a Group 2 of this nature on his first run back would be a huge ask.

Jim Bolger also enters runner, Lunar Space, into the Group 2 contest, who was a listed winner at the Curragh in May.

Disappointingly for connections, Lunar Space has subsequently struggled in all his races since, with two last placed finishes here at Leopardstown in listed and Group 3 company, and a 9th of 10 placed finish at the Curragh.

He kept on when dropped back down to 7f last time out at Cork to finish 6th in a Listed affair, however that was a behind a number of todays rivals and he again looks to be well out of his depth now moved into a Group 2.