Dawn Approach Colt Takes the Eye At Leopardstown

4th-Leopardstown, €17,500, Mdn, 8-16, 2yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:45.36, g/f.
MADHMOON (IRE) (c, 2, Dawn Approach (Ire)">Dawn Approach {Ire}–Aaraas {GB} {MGSP-Ire}, by Haafhd {GB}), who started as the 9-2 second favourite, tracked the leading trio throughout the early stages. Unleashed wide to collar Ballydoyle's 4-9 favourite Sydney Opera House (GB) (Australia {GB}) at the furlong pole, the homebred surged to an emphatic 2 3/4-length success from that half-brother to Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}). “We were worried he'd be green, but his pedigree and class came through and he looks like he could be a decent horse,” jockey Chris Hayes said. “He could come back or step up in trip–he just feels like class.” Trainer Kevin Prendergast added, “We always thought he could gallop and that he was good, but we had never really asked him to go that fast before. He was on the grass in the spring but not during the summer, just the all-weather gallop and so will improve. He's a grand horse who is a little bit tricky, but he keeps galloping.” This is a family that is well known to Prendergast, with the dam and second dam under his care along with several other immediate relatives. Aaraas was placed twice in group 3 company in the Killavullan S. here at two and the Blue Wind S. as a 3-year-old. She is a half to the G3 Silver Flash S. runner-up Alshahbaa (Ire) (Alhaarth {Ire}) and the listed-placed pair Daymooma (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Asheerah (GB) (Shamardal), all of whom plied their trade from the same stable. The latter went on to produce the best Prendergast has had in a long time in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), while her dam Adaala was third in this venue's G3 Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial. The dam has the unraced 3-year-old filly Simsimah (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}), but was barren last year to Teofilo (Ire). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $12,232. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited (IRE); T-Kevin Prendergast.