Enda Bolger faces a real task to get Gilgamboa back to his promising best

When Enda Bolgers Gilgamboa won his first two races over fences, he shaped as a real star of the future, says Pat Keane.

When Enda Bolgers Gilgamboa won his first two races over fences, he shaped as a real star of the future.

Gilgamboa began with a smooth success at Navan, but it was his subsequent display at Limerick at Christmas that marked him down as a horse with a real chance of going right to the top.

I have to admit to allowing myself to be a trifle carried away with that performance and gave the seven-year-old a solid chance against Un De Sceaux in the Arkle at Leopardstown last month. Such poor judgement, on a consistent basis, would surely see any punter on the breadline sooner rather than later.

Gilgamboa went to Leopardstown as a quite brilliant jumper, but banged into the fifth last. After that, he was always on the back foot, eventually struggling home 15 lengths and half a length third behind Un De Sceaux and Clarcam-in a three-horse affair.

One assumed the error was the cause of what was a seriously tame effort and that Gilgamboa, with no Un De Sceaux to worry about, would set the record straight next time.

And so he reappeared at Navan last Sunday, going off a 4-9 shot to beat three rivals, in a Grade 2.

But, horror of horrors, the horse that looked so talented over flights, and in his first two outings over fences, had literally disappeared.

When he won at Limerick there was a captivating electricity about Gilgamboa. His enthusiasm for the game and the way he attacked and bounded across obstacles was a joy to behold.

But it was all gone at Navan. His jumping, at least on occasions, lacked fluency and he came off the bridle so far out that it was difficult to fathom.

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Enda Bolger faces a real task to get Gilgamboa back to his promising best