CONSIDERING that he was an unbeaten champion two-year-old and a champion miler the following season with the Group 1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket among his successes, it is hardly surprising that the first crop of Dawn Approach were in such demand at the 2015 foal sales.

There were 20 of them which changed hands at an average price of €95,853, almost three times his stud fee, with John Ferguson paying €300,000 for the colt out of Simonetta at Goffs November Sale. Seven of Dawn Approach’s first crop foals sold for prices in excess of €100,000, four at Goffs, two at Newmarket and one at Deauville,

Trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger, the handsome chesnut Dawn Approach raced six times as a two-year-old in 2012, winning comfortably every time. He started in March with a win at the Curragh, then cantered home over five lengths clear at Naas, where he then added the Listed Rochestown Stakes early in June. Those victories earned Dawn Approach a trip to Royal Ascot, where he defeated Olympic Glory in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes. Purchased by Godolphin during the summer, he came home almost five lengths clear in the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh, before setting the seal on a fantastic season by winning the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket by almost three lengths. In the European Rankings, Dawn Approach was a remarkable six pounds clear of his nearest rival for the title of champion two-year-old.

scintillating start

Dawn Approach made a scintillating start to his second season in 2013, going straight to Newmarket for the 2000 Guineas without a previous outing and yet he strolled home five lengths ahead of all his rivals.

He was then a hot favourite for the Epsom Derby, but he did not stay the extra half mile and was unplaced. However, only 17 days later Dawn Approach returned to winning form in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, defeating Toronado, though those placings were narrowly reversed in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Timeform rated Dawn Approach on 132 in their Racehorses of 2013, much higher even than the 126 which made him their top juvenile of 2012.

Dawn Approach’s full-brother Herald The Dawn was a high-class two-year-old in 2015, scoring in the Group 2 Galileo Futurity Stakes at the Curragh and running second in the Group 1 National Stakes. They are both by the 2008 Epsom Derby hero New Approach, also the sire of Group 1 winners Talent, May’s Dream and Sultanina and of the Epsom Derby runner-up Libertarian, and their dam Hymn Of The Dawn is a daughter of the American sire Phone Trick, She is also the grandam of Sanus Per Aquam, who won the Group 3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket in 2015 and was third in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.

Champion 2yr old in Europe in 2012. Top rated 3yr old miler in Ireland in 2013. Won eight races, £926,781, from 5 furlongs to 1 mile, at 2 and 3 years including, Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, Curragh, Gr.1, Qipco 2000 Guineas, Newmarket, Gr.1, St James’s Palace Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Coventry Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, Alfred Nobel Rochestown Stakes, Naas, L, also placed second in Qipco Sussex Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.1.

Retired to stud in 2014, first crop now yearlings

Stands at: Kildangan Stud, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Contact: Gerry Duffy, Eamon Moloney or Anthony O’Donnell

Telephone: +353 (0) 45 527600

Email: enquiries@darleyireland.com.

Website: www.darleystallions.com

Fee: €35,000 October 1st, Special Live Foal