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Dawn Approach Warms Up for Dubai Dewhurst Stakes
03/10/12
Dawn Approach warmed up for his October 13 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes engagement with a solid work-out under big-race jockey Kevin Manning on Tuesday morning.
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Europe's leading two-year-old on official figures, Dawn Approach now carries the Godolphin blue silks and was last seen when emphatically taking the Group One Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on September 15.
Bolger said: "I'm sure he has improved since the Curragh. I was a little concerned about the going (there) - it was on the soft side - and he hadn't run since June. I wasn't certain I had him at his peak.
"As it happened, he seemed to do it very easily. He came out of the race very well and was very fresh two days later.
"I think he only dropped a couple of kilos and he had it back on within three days.
"On his work this morning, I couldn't be more pleased. Hopefully, he will hold his form into the Dewhurst Stakes."
Bolger is the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes king, having won four of the six last renewals. One of the quartet was Dawn Approach's sire, New Approach, and the pair share the same battling spirit according to Bolger.
He continued: "One thing that they very much have in common is the will to win.
"After that, there would not be a lot of similarities. New Approach was highly charged and it was a bit of a struggle to keep the lid on him.
"But this fellow is quite laidback, even lazy in his races. He is very relaxed and I don't have any horses that sleep longer than he does! But he seems to have the same ability as New Approach.
"Dawn Approach showed us almost from the word 'go'. Just watching him, you could see this fellow had something - he has a terrific action.
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"I've been very fortunate in having four horses that could win the Dewhurst Stakes - hopefully this fellow will be the fifth.
"His optimum distance? From six furlongs to a mile. I would not see him staying much beyond a mile but I could be wrong."
The County Carlow trainer also confirmed that Leitir Mor will join Dawn Approach in the seven-furlong Dubai Dewhurst Stakes which is worth £300,000.
Bolger will also bring Wexford Opera to the Group One Vision.ae Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs and impressive Gowran Park maiden winner Trading Leather in the mile Group Three Autumn Stakes.
All three races are run on Dubai Future Champions Day at Newmarket, Saturday, October 13.
Dubai Future Champions Day is the glittering highlight of Newmarket’s autumn schedule with the £300,000 Group One Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, traditionally the strongest two-year-old contest in Europe, headlining a fantastic card with six Group races and the Betfred Cesarewitch.
The Dubai Dewhurst Stakes is the defining two-year-old contest of the season and the seven-furlong race is a key pointer to future Classic success in both the QIPCO 2000 Guineas and the Investec Derby.
Frankel, the greatest racehorse of modern times, rounded off his two-year-old campaign with success in the 2010 Dewhurst Stakes before going on to capture the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, while other recent scorers New Approach (2007) and Sir Percy (2005) went on to triumph in the following season’s Derby after finishing second in the 2000 Guineas. Other notable winners since the turn of the century include the unbeaten Teofilo (2006), subsequent dual French Classic scorer Shamardal (2004) and Rock Of Gibraltar (2001), who won the 2000 Guineas and four other Group Ones the following year.
The £150,000 Group One Vision.ae Middle Park Stakes has produced a host of future champions. Brigadier Gerard, Known Fact and Rodrigo De Triano all returned to Newmarket to capture the 2000 Guineas after Middle Park success, while the six-furlong contest has also proven a springboard for sprint stars in recent years.
Oasis Dream, now a leading sire, bagged the Middle Park Stakes in 2002 and finished the following season as Europe’s champion sprinter after victories in the Darley July Cup at Newmarket and York’s Nunthorpe Stakes, while Dream Ahead, who ran away with the Middle Park Stakes in 2010, achieved the same feat in 2011 with a hat-trick of Group One wins in the Darley July Cup, Haydock’s Sprint Cup and the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.
High-quality juvenile action continues with the £60,000 Group Two Vision.ae Rockfel Stakes for fillies. The seven-furlong contest has been won by some top-class performers including Speciosa (2005) and Finsceal Beo (2006), who was denied a memorable Classic hat-trick after being beaten a head in the French 1000 Guineas in between wins in the English and Irish 1000 Guineas.
Dubai Future Champions Day also features the £80,000 Group Two Dubai Challenge Stakes over seven furlongs as well as the famous heritage handicap, the £160,000 Betfred Cesarewitch over two and quarter miles. A superb afternoon of racing is completed by the £40,000 Group Three Autumn Stakes and the £55,000 Group Three Darley Stakes.
Dubai Future Champions Day – Newmarket, Saturday, October 13, 2012:
1.50pm Dubai Challenge Stakes (Group Two) 7f £80,000
2.20pm Vision.ae Middle Park Stakes (Group One) 6f £150,000
2.50pm Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (Group One) 7f £300,000
3.30pm Betfred Cesarewitch (Heritage Handicap) 2m 2f £160,000
4.05pm Vision.ae Rockfel Stakes (Group Two) 7f £60,000
4.40pm Autumn Stakes (Group Three) 1m £40,000
5.15pm Darley Stakes (Group Three) 1m 1f £55,000
