Howardstown
About Enda
Date of licence: 1986
Stable capacity: 35 Horses
Jockeys: Barry Geraghty, Mark Walsh, Donal McInerney, Raymond Barron and Darragh O’Keeffe
Significant horses: Elegant Lord, Risk Of Thunder, Spot Thedifference, Garde Champetre, Gilgamboa, On The Fringe, Auvergnat
Notable Winners
- Paddy Power S’chase (Grade B) – Auvergnat (FR) – D.J. McInerney – 2018
- Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Steeplechase (Grade 1) – Gilgamboa – A.P. McCoy – 2015
- Boylesports.com H’dle (Grade B) – Gilgamboa – M.P. Walsh – 2014
- Ladbrokes Ireland Listowel H’cap H’dle (Grade B) – Ballyoisin – D.J. O’Keeffe – 2018
- coopsuperstores.ie H’cap S’chase (Grade B) – Ballyoisin – D.J. McInerney – 2017
- Dick And Mary Butler Memorial H’cap S’ch (Grade B) – Ballyoisin – J.S. McGarvey – 2017
- Dawn Milk H’cap S’chase – Lucky Town – D.J. Casey – 1998
- TheTote.com Fortria S’chase (Grade 2) – Ballyoisin – B.J. Geraghty – 2018
- Avon Ri Corporate & Leisure Resort S’ch – Spot Thedifference – J.T. McNamara – 2007
- Blue Square S’chase (La Touche Cup) – Good Step – N. Carberry – 2006
- Shannon Airport Novice S’chase (Grade 2) – Gilgamboa – M.P. Walsh – 2014
- Beaufort Golf Club An Riocht S’chase (Grade 3) – Ballyoisin – B.J. Geraghty – 2018
- Finbarr Slattery National H’cap S’chase – Auvergnat (FR) – M.P. Walsh – 2017
- McSweeney Killarney National H’cap S’ch – Cantlow – M.P. Walsh – 2016
- Avon Ri Corporate & Leisure Resort S’ch – Garde Champetre (FR) – N. Carberry – 2009
- BDO Simpson Xavier H’cap S’chase – Back In Thyne – M.P. Madden – 2002
- Avon Ri Corporate & Leisure Resort S’ch – L’Ami (FR) – J.T. McNamara – 2010
- Friends First S’chase (La Touche Cup) – Auvergnat (FR) – D.J. McInerney – 2018
- FBD Cross Country Schase (La Touche Cup) – Quantitativeeasing – M.P. Walsh – 2016
- Eircell H’cap S’chase – Spot Thedifference – R. Walsh – 2001
Roll of Honour
CHELTENHAM FOXHUNTERS
2016 On The Fringe – Ms N Carberry
2015 On The Fringe – Ms N Carberry
1996 Elegant Lord – Mr E Bolger
AINTREE FOXHUNTERS
2016 On The Fringe – Mr J J Codd
2015 On The Fringe – Ms N Carberry
1999 Elegant Lord – Mr P Fenton
PUNCHESTOWN CHAMPION HUNTER CHASE
2016 On The Fringe – Ms N Carberry
2015 On The Fringe – Ms N Carberry
2014 On The Fringe – Ms N Carberry
2012 On The Fringe – Mr J T McNamara
2010 On The Fringe – Mr J T McNamara
1997 Dixon Varner – Mr R Walsh
1996 Elegant Lord – Mr E Bolger
1995 Elegant Lord – Mr E Bolger
1994 Elegant Lord – Mr E Bolger
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL CROSS-COUNTRY
2016 Josies Orders – Ms N Carberry
2009 Garde Champetre – Miss N Carberry
2008 Garde Champetre – Miss N Carberry
2007 Heads Onthe Ground – Miss N Carberry
2005 Spot Thedifference – Mr J T McNamara
LA TOUCHE
2018 Auvergnat – D J McInerney
2016 Quantitativeeasing – M P Walsh
2010 L’Ami – Mr J T McNamara
2009 Garde Champetre – Ms N Carberry
2007 Spot Thedifference – Mr J T McNamara
2006 Good Step – Ms N Carberry
2005 Good Step – Mr J T McNamara
2004 Spot Thedifference – Mr J T McNamara
2003 Buailtes And Fadas – C O’Dwyer
2002 Risk Of Thunder – Mr J T McNamara
2001 Abandoned
2000 Risk Of Thunder – K Whelan
1999 Risk Of Thunder – Mr E Bolger
1998 Risk Of Thunder – Mr E Bolger
1997 Risk Of Thunder – Mr E Bolger
1990 Howyanow – Mr E Bolger (P P Hogan)
LADIES CUP
2019 Blue Templar – Mr RW Barron
2016 Wish Ye Didnt – Ms N Carberry
2015 Wish Ye Didnt – Ms N Carberry
2014 Be Positive – Ms N Carberry
2013 Zest For Life – Mr T Donworth
2011 Outlaw Pete – Mr J T McNamara
2010 Zest For Life – Ms N Carberry
2006 Abram’s Bridge – Mr J T McNamara
2003 Buailtes And Fadas – Mr J T McNamara
2001 Abandoned
1998 Tearaway King – Mr E Bolger
1997 Tearaway King – Mr E Bolger
1992 Funny Old Game – Mr E Bolger
1991 Green Bay – Mr E Bolger
Enda Bolger enjoyed his first success in the saddle at a point to point in his home county of Kilkenny at Gowran Park in April 1980 aboard Super Dub.
In the years which followed Enda was crowned champion rider on no fewer than seven occasions, setting record-breaking season totals on his way to two of those national titles, including in 1994 when he became the first rider in the history of the sport to break the 40-winner mark in a single season.
A record-breaking rider in the point-to-point fields, he is also a Grade 1 winning rider and trainer. As a rider he won the Grade 1 Power Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Step Together for J P Bourke and the same race which was to provide him with his debut Grade 1 victory as a trainer years later.
Enda also has a notable record at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.
Beginning his career based with Billy Boyers in Sligo it was his association with Limerick based P P Hogan which yielded an extraordinary 169 winners between the flags as he took over the reins from riders such as Roger Hurley, Ted Walsh, Niall Madden and John Fowler who had all held the role before him.
Hogan and Bolger also combined for many successes in the leading Hunter Chases and Cross Country races and enjoyed success with some of the finest pointers of all time including Ah Whist, with 25 wins providing Bolger with more wins than any other horse, Howyanow and Under Way.
Enda Bolger enjoyed his first success in the saddle at a point to point in his home county of Kilkenny at Gowran Park in April 1980 aboard Super Dub.
In the years which followed Enda was crowned champion rider on no fewer than seven occasions, setting record-breaking season totals on his way to two of those national titles, including in 1994 when he became the first rider in the history of the sport to break the 40-winner mark in a single season.
A record-breaking rider in the point-to-point fields, he is also a Grade 1 winning rider and trainer. As a rider he won the Grade 1 Power Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Step Together for J P Bourke and the same race which was to provide him with his debut Grade 1 victory as a trainer years later.
Enda also has a notable record at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.
Beginning his career based with Billy Boyers in Sligo it was his association with Limerick based P P Hogan which yielded an extraordinary 169 winners between the flags as he took over the reins from riders such as Roger Hurley, Ted Walsh, Niall Madden and John Fowler who had all held the role before him.
Hogan and Bolger also combined for many successes in the leading Hunter Chases and Cross Country races and enjoyed success with some of the finest pointers of all time including Ah Whist, with 25 wins providing Bolger with more wins than any other horse, Howyanow and Under Way.
Enda on Ah Whist
In 1996 Bolger became the winning-most point-to-point rider of all time when breaking Willie Rooney’s long-standing record of 401 winners, which had stood for 25 years, by partnering his 402nd winner at Ballingarry point-to-point.
Whilst combining both roles he enjoyed many great days, including his first Cheltenham Festival success both as trainer and rider when Elegant Lord won the 1996 Foxhunters in the colours of JP McManus, defeating the following year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Cool Dawn in the process. The pair also won both the Joseph O’Reilly and Champion Hunter Chase in consecutive years between 1994 and 1996. Famously, Elegant Lord was lead back into the Winners Enclosure by Sean Connery who was a guest of owner J P McManus at Punchestown, and the Scottish actor would go on to see his colours aboard Risk Of Thunder for many years to come.
In a career which saw him amass a total of 16 titles and a record setting 413 winners between the flags, his final point-to-point ride and winner, was aboard Tearaway King at Kilmallock on 11th April 1999.
On the same day, local rider John Thomas McNamara scored a treble at the same meeting, recording his 100th winner between the flags, and he would soon step in to the void Bolger’s retirement created.
There was one ride left however and eighteen days later on 29th April 1999 Mr E Bolger was declared to ride for the final time in his career – fittingly at the Punchestown Festival in the flagship cross country race – the La Touche aboard one of the races finest competitors Risk Of Thunder. The pair won comfortably by 20 lengths, and a picture of Bolger being carried from the parade ring shoulder high by Norman Williamson and David Casey hangs at Punchestown to this day.
Enda on Risk of Thunder
For much of his riding career, Enda combined riding duties with training, having taken out his license in 1986, and success immediately followed that year when Ted Walsh guided Fearless Leader to become his first winner in a Roscommon bumper.
Horses such as Elegant Lord, Spot Thedifference, Garde Champetre, L’Ami, Josies Orders, Heads Onthe Ground and Risk Of Thunder, would become household names within the sport mastering the varied courses at both Cheltenham and Punchestown.
His transition to training, having ridden his own horses for so long, was made easier with the talents employed initially of John Thomas McNamara soon followed and joined by Nina Carberry to great effect. Both played a notable role in the ongoing success which emerged from Howardstown and were great friends whilst riding.
Enda on Elegant Lord
Success has certainly not been limited to the ever-popular Cross-Country races. Having sent out Grade 2 and Grade 3 winners, Gilgamboa became his first winner at the highest level when AP McCoy guided the J P McManus owned gelding to glory in the Grade 1 Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. McManus has been the leading support of Bolger throughout his career and continues to provide a steady flow of top NH horses to the Bruree yard.
More recently, On The Fringe has been the latest record-breaker in the Enda Bolger story, taking all before him in the Hunter Chase division. In 2015, he became the first horse to complete the Cheltenham and Aintree Foxhunters double since Double Silk in 1993, before bettering that achievement by winning the big three hunter chases at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown in 2015 and 2016.
That feature of the domestic Hunter Chase programme is a race that has favoured Enda, with Elegant Lord winning it three times on the bounce – the first of which, in 1994, came with his trainer doing the steering. The following year Enda saddled the winner in Dixon Varner providing a then 21-year-old amateur Ruby Walsh with his first success over fences in 1997.
The last of On The Fringe’s Punchestown victories was his fifth Champion Hunter Chase on home soil under Nina Carberry to a notably enthusiastic and appreciative Punchestown crowd, having first won the race as a five-year-old on just his fourth competitive start under the late John Thomas McNamara – the first rider to have bettered Enda’s own all-time point-to-point record.
Last season Auvergnat took the Paddy Power Chase at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival while On The Fringe continues to perform aged 14 winning a Hunter Chase at Listowel in June as the winners continue to emerge from Howardstown, Bruree courtesy of Enda Bolger and his team.