Poetic Flare secures a second 2,000 Guineas victory for Jim Bolger at Newmarket's Rowley Mile

This afternoon's QIPCO 2,000 Guineas went the way of the Irish once again, but on this occasion it wasn't the prolific Aidan O'Brien nor his son Joseph celebrating at Newmarket's Rowley Mile.

Instead, it was the Jim Bolger-trained Poetic Flare that came out on top during the first Classic of the 2021 Flat campaign.

It was certainly a close run thing, with Poetic Flare just pipping Charlie Appleby's Master Of The Seas in a photo finish.

For Godolphin trainer Appleby is was another case of so near yet so far in the Newmarket showpiece, but for 79-year-old Bolger, it is the second time he has saddled the winner after Poetic Flare's sire – Dawn Approach – triumphed in 2013.

The last time a 2,000 Guineas winner was sired by a previous winner was in 1992, when the victorious Rodrigo de Triano was a son of 1984 winner El Gran Senor.

Jockey Kevin Manning, 54, was in the saddle eight years ago and he was also the pilot today.

Manning said: "It's a great training performance. He's done nothing wrong all along this horse.

"I was very impressed with him in the Guineas trial at Leopardstown and I knew he'd come forward from it.

"He's just a proper horse. I made no secret about this horse and I really felt whoever beat him today would win."

Meanwhile, veteran trainer Bolger added: “I thought he was beaten! It’s a big day for us, right up there with the best we’ve had.

“He wasn’t ready for the Dewhurst last year. I thought he was a little bit fitter than he was and I was hoping he’d run a big race and get the experience of running at that level.

"He ran out of wind about a furlong and a half down but we were very pleased in the run and didn’t lose faith in him.”

Read more: All the latest Suffolk sport news