APPROACH IS JUST CHAMPION
Written by sport on September 7th, 2008 in sport.
New Approach - narrow winner. APPROACH IS JUST CHAMPION
New Approach bounced back to winning ways with a workmanlike triumph in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
Having finished a keen third behind Duke Of Marmalade in the Juddmonte International, Jim Bolger’s Derby hero had something of a point to prove.
And prove it he did.
Given a no-nonsense ride from Kevin Manning, the son of Galileo had far too much brute strength for surprise runner-up Traffic Guard.
Punters were denied the mouthwatering rematch between Bolger’s charge and Duke Of Marmalade, who was taken out due to the ground, but were compensated by another winning performance from the Epsom Classic scorer.
Sent off at odds of 8-13, New Approach was always close to a brisk pace initiated by Red Rock Canyon.
In similar vein to stablemate Lush Lash’s triumph in the Matron earlier on the card, Manning went for the jugular on the turn for home.
New Approach, who was again ponied down to the start, held all the aces inside the last furlong but needed to be kept up to his work to defeat Traffic Guard (50-1) by half a length.
Mores Wells stayed on for third, another length and a quarter adrift of the winner.
Bolger said: “On his previous run at Newmarket he was a bit too keen because we had to rush a lot of quick work into him in a short space of time.
“There was not really enough pace today and once again, we probably overdid the settling.
“He was only doing what he had to do and Kevin confirmed that he had bundles in the tank.
“It was a nice, easy race for him and he should come out of it well.
“He’s in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket, he’s in the Arc and he’s also in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“He’ll probably run in two of those three.”
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