Dawn Approach strikes victory in Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot
Despite plenty of pressure, Dawn Approach kept his cool and presented a fascinating show in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes, held at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, June 19th. Although the juvenile came into this event with an unbeaten run, stepping up to
this class would have put a lot of pressure on him.
The odds were also not in his favour, but the 2-year-old stunned everyone with a fabulous effort. He took keen hold early on and kept improving his work. His hard work paid off, as he led the proceedings just before the final furlong.
After establishing his dominance, the rampant runner made no mistake and stretched his advantage to some extent. Richard Hannon’s Olympic Glory was a surprise factor and no one was expecting him to make things tricky for the favourites.
Under Dane O'Neill, the 2-year-old performed superbly, but luck was not on his side. As a result, he fell short by ¾ a length. On the other hand, Dawn Approach was mighty impressive in the hands of K. J. Manning.
It was an unlucky day for Hannon, who sent four runners in search of his fourth win in this event. A. P. O'Brien, who was also aiming for his fourth Coventry Stakes success, earned the third place with Cristoforo Colombo. Ridden by JP O’Brein, Henrythenavigator’s
two-year-old son missed the runner-up spot only by a neck’s distance.
Sir Prancealot, who was Hannon’s main hope, took a steadied start and despite the fact that he did well in the final stages, staying on one pace prevented him from making an impact.
On his charge’s superb success, J. S. Bolger said: "He's as good as I've had. He has everything. He has pace, he has stamina, he has looks and he has the temperament. There are no holes in this fellow.”
"I'll probably give him a little break. He's a very gross horse who grubs (eats) very well, so the break won't get to be too long. I'd say the Futurity Stakes and the National Stakes (are options) and if I can find a space for him in the Dewhurst with the
other two-year-olds I have, then maybe the Dewhurst," he added.
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