Roughly midway through interviewing Jim Bolger in the Merrion Hotel, near the Dublin residence he owns and stays in once a week, a staff member arrives at our table in a tentative manner befitting the racing trainer’s status as a regular. “Just to let you know, gents: there’s a fire alarm going off shortly for safety purposes.” Bolger, unflappable at 84, assures him. “We wouldn’t move anyway. Don’t be worried.” He has long been an iconic outlier in racing, with the credentials of an outsider, but in more recent years he has become a pariah in the eyes of some.…

Want to continue reading?

Join today with an Annual membership and unlock full access to The Currency and The Wall Street Journal for just €200 – two premium memberships, one subscription.

Subscribe

Cancel at any time.

Are you already a member? .