Jim Bolger behind another success story as Twilight Payment lands Melbourne Cup

Joseph O'Brien and Lloyd Williams had their second Melbourne Cup together in four years as Twilight Payment made every yard of the two miles at Flemington but once again it was the figure of Jim Bolger who was in the background of a Group 1 success story.

It is the third time in just over a week that Bolger has bred a top flight scorer - training Mac Swiney to land the Vertem Futurity Trophy and also raising Gear Up, who took the Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

Twilight Payment was produced by Bolger's breeding operation and ran for him for four seasons, his profile having a further mark of the renowned Irishman in that he is by Teofilo, also prepared from Coolcullen to land two juvenile Group 1s. Intriguingly, the trainer's name was listed among more than a dozen individuals and entities on Australian racecards to still have a share in him.

A long-time resident at Kildangan Stud, this was Teofilo's second Melbourne Cup after Cross Counter landed the 2018 renewal for Godolphin.

Twilight Payment is out of Dream On Buddy, an Oasis Dream mare who won a couple of minor races for Barry Hills. Her pedigree is one Bolger knew well as he had bought her half-sister Banimpire, a Ribblesdale Stakes winner, from Pat O'Kelly's famed nursery Kilcarn Stud.

He picked up Dream On Buddy after she went through the ring for 240,000gns to BBA Ireland at the 2011 Tattersalls December Mares Sale and has produced four foals to hit the track.

Twilight Payment and Jye McNeil gallop to Lexus Melbourne Cup gloryCredit: Vince Caligiuri (Getty Images)

Twilight Payment is easily the best, winning two Listed races and attaining numerous Group placings in the Godolphin blue before being consigned by Bolger and sold for €200,000 at Goffs in late 2018.

The gelding resumed his career in the trainer's wife Jackie's colours, landing the 2019 Curragh Cup from Williams and O'Brien's Irish Derby winner Latrobe before a private transfer to their camp.

For the last few years Dream On Buddy has been covered by either New Approach or Dawn Approach and the former's four-year-old daughter Bandiuc Eile, a runner-up in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes, is due to be offered by Bolger's granddaughter Clare Manning's Boherguy Stud at the December Mares Sale.

Her two-year-old Our New Buddy has appeared a couple of times so far for Ralph Beckett while Bolger also has a Dawn Approach colt foal.

This has been a similarly productive spell for Teofilo, who not only sired Gear Up but Prix Royal Oak winner Subjectivist on the same weekend.

He now has 21 Group 1 winners with many, including Irish Derby winner Trading Leather, having received Bolger's influence too.

Read more

Magic Wand to visit Justify in the Hunter Valley as broodmare career begins

Top-class broodmare Joy Valley dies at the age of 31

Lullaby Moon adds to first-season sire Belardo's fine run of form with Group win