By Elaine Belval
For a stallion to have more than one winner at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting is a major coup. But what about three winners? And what if that horse is a freshman sire?
Freshman sire New Approach set a mark that may never be passed: with three runners at Royal Ascot, he had three winners.
New Approach’s first two-year-olds have hit the ground running, with his first winner coming in late March. That colt, Dawn Approach, became his first SW in early June, winning the Rochestown S. at Naas in Ireland. Dawn Approach then won the G2 Coventry S. on Tuesday, June 19th—Royal Ascot’s opening day—for breeder and trainer Jim S. Bolger and owners Mrs. J. S. Bolger and J. P. Spain. With four starts under his belt, the undefeated Dawn Approach will be given a short break, holding future engagements in two Group 1s—National S. and Dewhurst S.—in his sights to close out his juvenile year.
On Friday June 22nd, the filly Newfangled won the G3 Albany S. for owner HRH Princess Haya, breeder Darley Stud, and trainer John Gosden. This filly beat a contentious field with ease under jockey William Buick. She will be pointing to the G1 Cheveley Park S.
But New Approach wasn’t finished. On Saturday, Tha’ir won the seven-furlong Chesham S. with Frankie Dettori aboard by a convincing two and a quarter lengths for owner Godolphin, breeder Lodge Park Stud, and trainer Saeed bin Suroor, and he became the third winner from three starters for New Approach at the Royal meeting.
Perhaps it was fated. New Approach is one of the best-bred stallions in Europe. Like his son Tha’ir, he was bred in Ireland by Lodge Park Stud. He is by the leading European sire Galileo out of Ahonoora’s multiple champion Park Express, winner of the G1 Phoenix Champion S., etc. New Approach cost €430,000 as a yearling and raced for Mrs. J.S. Bolger and John Corcoran initially, before he was sold to HRH Princess Haya. Trained by Jim Bolger throughout his entire career, New Approach won all five of his outings at two, including the prestigious G1 Dewhurst and G1 National S. He was named Champion two-year-old in Europe. At three, Henrythenavigator defeated him in both the G1 2,000 Guineas and the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas, but New Approach got a classic by winning the G1 Derby. In the G1 Champion S. at Newmarket, he set a new course record of 2:00.13. He was officially rated by Timeform at an impressive 132 lbs and was named Champion three-year-old in Europe.
New Approach was one of the favorites to take the British freshman sires title, but the magnitude of his early success has been mind-boggling.
New Approach stands at Dalham Hall Stud in England, where  his 2012 stud fee was £22,500.
In the Epsom Derby, there are runs of three consecutive male line winners.. viz.. Bay Middleton, Flying Dutchman, Ellington. = Doncaster, Bend Or, Ormonde, = Gainsborough, Hyperion, Owen Tudor, = Spearmint, Spion Kop, Felstead, = Mill Reef, Shirley Heights, Slip Anchor.
It is obvious that Galileo, New Approach, etc.. will be another.