Perfect Approach in Dewhurst
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Victory in the Dewhurst Stakes assured Dawn Approach of a perfect six-for-six in a season that has seen him progress from strength to strength since his maiden victory at the Curragh Racecourse in April. Purchased by Sheikh Mohammed after his victory at Royal Ascot, Dawn Approach will remain in training with Jim Bolger for the 2013 season, a surprising move by Godolphin who normally shift their purchases to the stables of Saeed bin Suroor and Mahmood Al Zarooni.
"I was impressed with Dawn Approach when he won his maiden" said Sheikh Mohammed of the winner of the very first European two year old race of the season, "I thought he was a good horse. I could have been wrong - I could have bought a bad horse - but, thank god, were lucky. Good horses always find something and he will be back for the [QIPCO] 2000 Guineas. I think the he will get a mile or a mile and a quarter but I don't know if he is a Derby horse yet.".
For Jim Bolger is was a another victory in the race he has farmed for many years. Since 2006, Jim Bolger has won four renewals of the Dewhurst Stakes with Teofilio, New Approach, Intense Focus and Parish Hall, Dawn Approach would be his fifth.
Having tracked his pacemaker, Leitir Mor, for the majority of the race, Dawn Approach began to be niggled along by Kevin Manning coming into the dip of Newmarket's Rowley Mile and, momentarily, looked to be struggling to catch his stable mate. However, upon exiting the dip Dawn Approach flew and covered an incredible amount of ground to pass his stable mate and readily run on for a four length success in the style of an exceptionally talented horse.
"There were no real anxious moments today. He just has a lazy style of racing" said Bolger, "Once Kevin wound him up, there were never any concerns. We have been very fortunate over the last few years to have such good two year olds and he is another one of those."
Like Bolger, Kevin Manning was also winning the Dewhurst for the fifth time in the last seven years and was complimentary of the style in which Dawn Approach succeded today. "It was a properly run race and, two down, he just always hits his flat spot for a couple of strides until he hits top gear" said Manning, "I know the horse and I knew that there was plenty there. Once he hit the rising ground, he has really gone away. He is developing all the time and is a fine big horse"
Leitir Mor completed a 1-2 finish for Jim Bolger with his sixth second place finish of the season from eleven starts with George Vancouver, from the Aidan O' Brien stable, completing a 1-2-3 for Ireland back in third.
Photos Courtesy of Emma-Louise Kerwin (Goodtosoft.co.uk)
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