IT was no surprise that Dawn Approach made such a fine start with his first runners in 2017, ranking highly on the list of first-crop sires with four of his winners being blacktype performers.

After all, 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. His yearlings have sold for up to 275,000gns and his foals up to €300,000.

The handsome Dawn Approach raced six times as a two-year-old in 2012, winning comfortably every time. Trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger, he started in March with a win at the Curragh, then cantered home over five lengths clear at Naas, where he 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 six pounds clear of his nearest rival for the title of champion juvenile.

There was a scintillating start to Dawn Approach’s second season in 2013, going straight to Newmarket for the 2000 Guineas without a previous outing and yet strolling home five lengths ahead of all his rivals. Though a hot favourite for the Epsom Derby, he did not stay the extra half mile and was unplaced, but only 17 days later he 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, even higher than the 126 which made him their top juvenile of 2012.

Dawn Approach’s full-brother Herald Of The Dawn scored in the Group 2 Galileo Futurity Stakes at the Curragh at two and ran second in the Group 1 National Stakes. They are both by Epsom Derby hero New Approach 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 and was third in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.

DAWN APPROACH (IRE), Chesnut 2010. 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 2nd QIPCO Sussex Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.1.

Retired to Stud in 2014, and sire of the winners of 17 races, and £382,869, including Fast Approach (JPN), Mary Tudor (IRE), Dawn Delivers (GB) and Haddaf (IRE)

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

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

Telephone: +353 (0) 45 527600

Email: enquiries@darleyireland.com.

Web: www.darleystallions.com

Fee: €20,000