Jim Bolger admits it is “more than likely” his 2000 Guineas hero Dawn Approach will be allowed to take his chance in the Englishc Derby at Epsom next month.
Unbeaten in six starts as a juvenile, the son of Bolger’s 2008 Derby hero New Approach went one better than his father by storming clear in the season’s opening Classic on the Rowley Mile.
While the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on May 25 has not been completely ruled out, Bolger feels it is more likely the Godolphin-owned colt will instead step up to a mile and a half at Epsom the following weekend.
“What I said beforehand was that if he ran up to his best form I thought he’d win and he excelled in that area. It was his best performance to date,” the trainer told At The Races.
“Kevin (Manning) wound him up a bit sooner as he wanted to hit the top of the hill in full flight. That’s exactly what he did and it worked out very well.
“Sheikh Mohammed (owner) and I have agreed that we’ll both sleep on it, ponder the situation and maybe talk in 48 hours.
“On his breeding you would expect that he would not get it (the Derby trip), but because he’s so relaxed and he has so much class, there is a reasonable chance that he will get it.
“For that reason, it probably will be decided that he’ll go there. It will more than likely be Epsom.”
