Bolger remains unrepentant after his shameful U-turn sparks controversy at Epsom

The horse, owned by Sheik Mohammed's wife, Princess Haya, did his part in style with an extraordinary display of pace and power that narrowly gained the day from Tartan Bearer. It was a memorable performance by a highly talented colt, who is as tough as he is tricky.

Winner: New Approach ridden by Kevin Manning waves to the crowd after winning the English Derby

But many of the nation's punters, particularly those who backed the runner-up, were left cursing Bolger for his shamefully late U-turn on Monday when he made the bombshell announcement that New Approach, the winter ante-post favourite, would, after all, take his chance at Epsom. This flew in the face of all his previous public statements that he intended to hold back New Approach for the Irish Derby on June 29.

'I do not think the Derby does much for a stallion's career,' he said by way of explanation on a press day at his stables on April 21.

It was a position Bolger robustly maintained most notably after New Approach finished second in the 2,000 Guineas in Ireland. There was no ambiguity in his words as he repeated that Epsom was not the plan for his colt.

So it is surely legitimate to suggest that every punter who had an antepost bet in the Derby after Bolger first made his intentions clear on April 21 has cause for complaint against the Irish trainer.

Even when the name of New Approach surprisingly appeared among the list of those left in the Derby on May 23, Bolger insisted that it was simply a mistake on his part. Yet there was not a hint of apology or regret when he abruptly turned the Derby market on his head on Tuesday. He remained defiant in the post-race conference yesterday as he came under severe fire from a series of pertinent questions that clearly annoyed him.

'Where is the problem?' he repeated on a number of occasions. 'At the time, today's race was not on the agenda.

'The decision to leave New Approach in the Derby was the biggest mistake I have made in a long time. To this day I don't know why I didn't take him out. I just maintained most notably after New Approach finished second in the 2,000 Guineas in Ireland. There was no ambiguity in his words as he repeated that Epsom was not the plan for his colt.

So it is surely legitimate to suggest that every punter who had an antepost bet in the Derby after Bolger first made his intentions clear on April 21 has cause for complaint against the Irish trainer.

Even when the name of New Approach surprisingly appeared among the list of those left in the Derby on May 23, Bolger insisted that it was simply a mistake on his part. Yet there was not a hint of apology or regret when he abruptly turned the Derby market on his head on Tuesday. He remained defiant in the post-race conference yesterday as he came under severe fire from a series of pertinent questions that clearly annoyed him.

'Where is the problem?' he repeated on a number of occasions.

'At the time, today's race was not on the agenda.

'The decision to leave New Approach in the Derby was the biggest mistake I have made in a long time. To this day I don't know why I didn't take him out. I just