Dawn Approach appears all set to take his chance in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot next week after pleasing trainer Jim Bolger in a piece of work on Thursday morning.
Last season’s champion juvenile kept his unbeaten record intact with a breathtaking display in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and connections soon stated their intentions to step up to a mile and a half in the Epsom Derby.
It was quickly clear his bid for a Classic double was not going according to plan, with the normally relaxed chestnut pulling fiercely for his head and he was a spent force at the top of the home straight, eventually trailing home last of 12 runners.
The Godolphin-owned colt looked poised for a mid-season break after his Epsom flop, but surprisingly featured among the St James’s Palace confirmations on Wednesday and connections confirmed him an “intended runner”, subject to a satisfactory piece of work.
Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford was pleased to report all went well and Dawn Approach is now on schedule for his Royal Ascot date on Tuesday.
“I believe everything went well. I wasn’t there to see it myself, but Jim was very happy with him,” Crisford said.
“Assuming all goes well between now and next Tuesday, he’ll be running.”
