Herald the Dawn On Top in Futurity Showdown

It was after The Curragh’s G2 Futurity S. that Jim Bolger boldly proclaimed New Approach (Ire) to be “a European version of Secretariat” and eight years on a son of that luminary Herald the Dawn (Ire) stepped up for Coolcullen in a rain-drenched renewal to emulate his sire in game fashion. Sent off at 7-1 on debut, the full-brother to Dawn Approach (Ire) outran those odds when going under by 1 3/4 lengths to Reckless Endeavour (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in second and finishing clear of the subsequent G3 Tyros S. third Lieutenant General (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and built on that experience when going one better over this trip in another maiden at that track last time Aug. 3. With the rain coming to Kildare, the betting became tight at the head of the market and the bay was eventually made the 6-4 second choice with the emphasis on Shogun as Ballydoyle’s sole representative after the withdrawal of his stable companion Air Vice Marshal (War Front). As the only three of the quartet left that held any chance set off, it was the filly Now Or Never who led Shogun by a length with Kevin Manning waiting patiently with Herald the Dawn a further two lengths behind that 11-8 chalk. Joseph O’Brien was the first to send out the distress signals and Shogun was in trouble a long way out, but Herald the Dawn was able to bridge the gap to the talented filly from the quarter pole to the furlong marker and gradually wore down her resistance in the run to the line. “Kevin said the wheels were spinning, but he got there,” Bolger commented. “He’s basically a good-ground horse, but he overcame the adversity. He can do six furlongs, seven or a mile. We’ll see where he fits in and we have choices in Ireland, England and France.” Aidan O’Brien was putting the flat effort of Shogun down to the ground and said, “Joseph knew after two furlongs that he was in trouble on the ground. I felt that mentally the run would do him good and, with that run under his belt, he could make the step up to run in a Group One on nice ground.”

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
GALILEO EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND FUTURITY S.-G2, €130,000, CUR, 8-23, 2yo, 7fT, 1:26.59, g/f.
1–#@HERALD THE DAWN (IRE), 129, c, 2, by New Approach (Ire)
1st Dam: Hymn of the Dawn, by Phone Trick
2nd Dam: Colonial Debut, by Pleasant Colony
3rd Dam: Kittihawk Miss, by Alydar
O-Godolphin; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE); J-Kevin Manning. €78,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $103,312. *Full to Dawn Approach (Ire), Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eur, Eng & Ire, Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f, MG1SW-Eng & G1SW-Ire, $1,457,260. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Now Or Never (Ire), 126, f, 2, Bushranger (Ire)–Queenofthefairies (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (10,000gns RNA Ylg ‘14 TAOCT; £42,000 2yo ‘15 DONBRE). O-Now Or Never Partnership; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Michael O’Callaghan. €26,000.
3–Shogun (Ire), 129, c, 2, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Perihelion (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (€400,000 Ylg ‘14 GOFORB). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Mrs A M O’Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €13,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 4HF, 22. Odds: 1.50, 3.00, 1.35.
Also Ran: Lex Talionis (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.