A UNIQUE APPROACH
Just 17 days since his blow-out in the G1 Epsom Derby, Godolphin’s Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) paid the ultimate tribute to the informed guile of his intuitive trainer Jim Bolger when winning the G1 St James’s Palace S. at Royal Ascot. After a pulsating war of attrition with the rival who should have been his main threat in the G1 2,000 Guineas, Toronado (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), the cream of the "TDN Rising Stars" placed himself back on the mantle that his breeder and conditioner had placed him as early as his G2 Coventry S. victory here 12 months ago. Keen again early without being as reckless as in the blue riband, the 5-4 favorite delivered his surge wide to lead with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and, despite being briefly headed by Toronado, gained the upper hand in the final 50 yards to score by a short head. "The biggest risk is not taking the risk," commented Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in reference to the trainer’s late decision to run. "Jim bred the horse and knows the horse very well, so when he decided to run we all supported him. That proved to me that he’s the best miler in the world."

Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
ST JAMES’S PALACE S.-G1, £350,000, Ascot, 6-18, 3yo, c, 1mT, 1:39.23, gd.
1--DAWN APPROACH (IRE), 126, c, 3, 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; J-Kevin Manning; £198,485. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eur, Eng & Ire, G1SW-Ire, 9-8-0-0, £791,513. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Toronado (Ire), 126, c, 3, High Chaparral (Ire)--Wana Doo, by Grand Slam. (€40,000 wnlg ‘10 ARQDEC; €55,000 yrl ‘11 ARQAUG). O-Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani; B-Paul Nataf; T-Richard Hannon; £75,250.
3--Mars (Ire),126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)--Massarra (GB), by Danehill. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Massarra Syndicate; T-Aidan O’Brien; £37,660.
Margins: SHD, 2 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 5-4, 5-1, 10-1.
Also Ran: Mshawish, Glory Awaits (Ire), Dundonnell, George Vancouver, Leitir Mor (Ire), Magician (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, courtesy attheraces.com.
   Dawn Approach’s career has been against the grain for most of the way so far, with a surprise debut win for a colt with his pedigree in the opening five-furlong maiden at The Curragh last March followed by his defeat of more precociously-bred rivals in the Coventry at this meeting. While the route was more predictable afterwards as he took in the G1 National S. at The Curragh and Newmarket’s G1 Dewhurst S. and 2,000 Guineas, a tilt at the Derby was another diversion from the obvious. Due to his ability to successfully bend to whatever test he had been set up to then, the majority believed that the blue riband was a dream within reach and the answer remains in the ether after he wrecked his opportunity just yards from the start. Having said he would not be going to Ascot, the Irish maverick u-turned as he had with the colt’s sire ahead of the Derby five years ago, and it was up to the flashy chestnut to provide the justification for that choice and deflect the critique that was certain to come Bolger’s way if failure was the outcome. For much of the first half of this contest, the tension rose for connections as he teetered on the edge under Kevin Manning once again, but with Leitir Mor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) setting the honest sprinter-miler fractions he needs, the extravagance was successfully contained. Following the move of Magician (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as they turned for home, he was the victim of scrimmaging as Glory Awaits (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) jinked into the Ballydoyle raider, causing interference to both the winner and patiently-ridden runner-up at the quarter pole. Undeterred, the dominant duo set down for the duel to the line and, although Toronado held a slight edge for a few yards inside the final furlong, it was Dawn Approach who had that extra ounce of reserve. "The Derby was a big blow to everybody and so disappointing, so to come back and do that is fantastic," Kevin Manning said. "He took a bit of a bite and lit up again, but I arrived there full of running and thought I was going to do it well only for the horse on the inside to come out and catch me in the girth. Once I got my head in front he was always holding the runner-up. He’s very gutsy and determined and a real battler. He was very impressive in Newmarket and it was a shock at Epsom--I still can’t make head nor tail of it, so have drawn a line through it and moved on. I always felt he was a horse who would go beyond a mile, but we tried it and it didn’t work." Bolger added, "The nature of the sport is that you take chances and sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t, but Sheikh Mohammed was a very willing risk-taker. He’s very tough and hardy and was fortunate to survive that knock. I knew he wouldn’t let me down."

FIRST BLOOD TO BALLYDOYLE
   Coolmore and Joseph Allen’s partnership was taken to the dizzy heights yesterday as Declaration of War (War Front) opened up an amazing double and the Royal meeting itself with an unexpected victory in a renewal of the G1 Queen Anne S. that appeared beforehand to belong to Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). As that 5-4 favorite pulled hard without cover and was gone by the three-furlong pole before back-pedaling to finish a disappointing 11th, it was Ballydoyle’s handsome bay who profited from the visitor’s implosion. Sent off at 15-2 after bombing out as favorite for the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury May 18, Declaration of War was always traveling strongly under the cover denied the market leader. Muscling through a gap with a furlong remaining, he collared Aljamaaheer (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) 100 yards later en route to a three-quarter length success, which was in turn a 38th at the meeting for Aidan O’Brien. "We thought the world of him last year and I didn’t have him ready for the Lockinge, but he’d made great progress since and has come back to what we hoped he would be," his trainer said. "We learned in the Lockinge that he’s all speed, and so he waited and waited today. He’s a big, powerful horse and when Joseph produced him he put his head in there and went through. It doesn’t get any better than this."

Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
QUEEN ANNE S.-G1, £350,000, Royal Ascot, 6-18, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:38.48, gd.
1--sDECLARATION OF WAR, 126, c, 4, by War Front
1st Dam: Tempo West, by Rahy
2nd Dam: Tempo, by Gone West
3rd Dam: Terpsichorist, by Nijinsky
O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Joseph Allen; B-Joseph Allen; T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Joseph O’Brien; £198,485. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 8-6-0-0, £286,925. *1/2 to Vertiformer (Dynaformer), SW-Fr & GSP-US, $143,958. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.

2--Aljamaaheer (Ire), 126, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)--Kelly Nicole (Ire), by Rainbow Quest. (100,000gns wnlg ‘09 TATDEC). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Corrin Stud & Sean O’Keeffe; T-Roger Varian; £75,250.
3--Gregorian (Ire), 126, c, 4, Clodovil (Ire)--Three Days in May (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). (85,000gns yrl ‘10 TATOCT). O-HRH Princess Haya of Jordan; B-Rathasker Stud; T-John Gosden; £37,660.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 2. Odds: 15-2, 8-1, 16-1.
Also Ran: Elusive Kate, Trade Storm (GB), Libranno (GB), Chil The Kite (GB), Penitent (GB), Sovereign Debt (Ire), Trumpet Major (Ire), Animal Kingdom, Monsieur Chevalier (Ire), Gabrial (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, courtesy attheraces.com.
   Like several of Joseph Allen’s homebreds, Declaration of War started off at Jean-Claude Rouget’s Pau base and flashed star quality from the outset with wide-margin wins on the all-weather surfaces of Pornichet-la-Baule and Deauville in late 2011. Sent to Rosegreen, the imposing colt started off with a fourth in The Curragh’s G3 Solonaway S. over this trip in September before winning a 10-furlong conditions event at that venue three weeks later. Taking his record to a perfect three-for-three on artificial surfaces when annexing the G3 Diamond S. over an extended 10 furlongs on Dundalk’s Polytrack in October, he returned this term back over a mile to register a smooth score in Leopardstown’s Listed Heritage S. Apr. 14. Sent off the 5-4 favorite for the Lockinge, he never looked like landing a blow on the runaway winner Farhh (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) in fifth but Aidan O’Brien had his own view of what happened there and the unique computing that goes on in his brain started to get to work in the interim. Keen initially off the steady tempo set by the outsider Libranno (GB) (Librettist), he quickly settled into a rhythm for Joseph O’Brien and traveled with purpose in a pocket. As Aljamaaheer and Gregorian (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) struck for home on the far side of the group approaching the furlong marker, it looked for a few strides as if Declaration of War would be stuck in behind, but when half a gap arrived he was able to seize it and run down that duo for a decisive success. "I’m not sure 100% what happened in the Lockinge, but dad said he didn’t have him as fit as he would have liked," Joseph O’Brien said. "He said he had him 100% today and he’s a very good horse." Animal Kingdom’s trainer Graham Motion was downhearted after his star horse’s over-exuberant performance and said, "It took the wind out of our sails, as there was a lot of hype for this race. Johnny said he had no punch at the half-mile pole and he had a hard time getting him covered up. It’s very awkward starting in the middle of the track, which is very unusual for us and I always cautioned about the unknowns that he was facing and I’m afraid it caught up with him today." Aljamaaheer’s trainer Roger Varian told PA Sport, "It’s frustrating, but we have no complaints. The race panned out exactly as we had hoped, but the winner just quickened up better than us. He’ll be in all the big mile races and we’ll just try to win a Group race with him."

Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
KING’S STAND S.-G1, £350,000, Royal Ascot, 6-18, 3yo/up, 5fT, :58.88, gd.
1--SOLE POWER (GB), 130, g, 6, by Kyllachy (GB)
1st Dam: Demerger, by Distant View
2nd Dam: Merida (GB), by Warning (GB)
3rd Dam: Metair (GB), by Laser Light (GB)
(£32,000 yrl ‘08 DONAUG). O-Mrs S Power; B-G Russell; T-Edward Lynam; J-Johnny Murtagh; £198,485. Lifetime Record: Co. Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 5-7f, G1SP-UAE & Ire & GSP-Ire, 33-7-6-5, £815,748. *1/2 to Cornus (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), GSP-Eng, $197,841. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Shea Shea (SAf), 130, g, 5, National Emblem (SAf)--Yankee Clipper (SAf), by Jallad. (R550,000 ‘09 EMPNAT). O-Brian Joffee & Myron C Berzack; B-Klawervlei Stud; T-Mike de Kock; £75,250.
3--Pearl Secret (GB), 130, c, 4, Compton Place (GB)--Our Little Secret (Ire), by Rossini. (20,000gns yrl ‘10 TATOCT; £90,000 2yo ‘11 DONAPR). O-Pearl Bloodstock Ltd; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud & Pigeon House Stud; T-David Barron; £37,660.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 8-1, 11-4, 10-1.
Also Ran: Jack Dexter (GB), Reckless Abandon (GB), Heeraat (Ire), Move In Time (GB), Swiss Spirit (GB), Shamexpress (NZ), Bungle Inthejungle (GB), Medicean Man (GB), Stepper Point (GB), Hoyam (GB), Doc Hay, Prohibit (GB), Kingsgate Native (Ire), Angels Will Fall (Ire), Spirit Quartz (Ire), Ballesteros (GB).
Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, courtesy attheraces.com.

POWER SURGE AT ROYAL ASCOT
   Sabena Power’s Sole Power (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) twice finished behind South African superstar Shea Shea (SAf) (National Emblem {SAf}) at Meydan in March, and bounced back from a fourth in last month’s G2 Temple S. at Haydock to gain his revenge on that rival in yesterday’s G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot. Restrained in rear initially, the 8-1 chance produced a blistering late surge to oust his old foe on the line to win by a neck. Sole Power arrived on the scene with a shock 100-1 win in the 2010 G1 Nunthorpe S. at York and has since lifted three black-type events as well as garnering three further placings at the highest level. Runner-up when Shea Shea broke the five-furlong track record in the Mar. 9 Listed Meydan Sprint, he ran fourth as that rival smashed the clock once more in the Mar. 30 G1 Al Quoz Sprint back at Meydan on World Cup day Mar. 30, and returned to Europe with a win in the May 4 G3 Palace House S. at Newmarket. The bay lined up off a fourth in Haydock's May 25 G2 Temple S. and employed his usual waiting tactics in rear behind a searching early pace. Making smooth headway from halfway, he was last off the bridle inside the final quarter mile and powered home using the stands’ side rail for guidance to seal a last-gasp win and a second Group 1 triumph. "I’m really proud of achieving forty winners at Royal Ascot and, as a jockey, this is where you want to perform," enthused winning rider Johnny Murtagh. "It makes riding all the Mondays and Fridays worthwhile when you come here and get to ride great horses for great people. I’ve just been one of the lucky ones. I know what Sole Power likes and [trainer] Eddie [Lynam] told me to do as I normally do and ride him like I own him. He’s got a great turn of foot when you can conserve his energy and he’s very willing, but if he gets going too early it’s as though he runs out of steam. I didn’t see Shea Shea on the other side of the track, but I thought we hit the line well." Conditioner Eddie Lynam, celebrating his first Royal success, added, "Sole Power’s not always been lucky, but he’s always been good." Mike de Kock was satisfied with the performance of runner-up Shea Shea and didn’t entirely rule out a crack at the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. on Saturday. "I’m very proud of him and I suppose second is better than third," he told Racing Post. "He was beaten by a pretty decent horse and I think he acquitted himself well. Things didn’t go exactly as we wanted them and, in a race like that, a head here and a neck there can make all the difference. I’ll see how he pulls out in the morning, but my hunch is that he won’t run on Saturday. Having said that, I’m not a stubborn man. [Jockey] Christophe [Soumillon] said that the horse hasn’t had a race and says we should run him again. We’ll try to make a decision in the morning."

Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
COVENTRY S.-G2, £120,000, Ascot, 6-18, 2yo, 6fT, 1:12.86, gd.
1--WAR COMMAND, 127, c, 2, by War Front
1st Dam: Wandering Star (GSW-Can, SW-Eng & GSP-US, $295,434), by Red Ransom
2nd Dam: Beautiful Bedouin, by His Majesty
3rd Dam: Gris Vitesse, by Amerigo (GB)
O-Joseph Allen, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Joseph Allen; T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Seamus Heffernan; £68,052. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, £77,308. *1/2 to Naval Officer (Tale of the Cat), GSW-Fr, $182,831. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.

2--Parbold (Ire),127, c, 2, Dandy Man (Ire)--Gala Style (Ire), by Elnadim. (€48,000 wnlg ‘11 GOFNOV; 42,000gns yrl ‘12 TATOCT). O-David W Armstrong; B-Tony Cosgrave; T-Richard Fahey; £25,800.
3--Sir John Hawkins, 127, c, 2, Henrythenavigator--Peeping Fawn, by Danehill. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Orpendale & Chelston; T-Aidan O’Brien; £12,912.
Margins: 6, 3/4, HF. Odds: 20-1, 16-1, 6-1.
Also Ran: Thunder Strike (GB), Jallota (GB), Stubbs (Ire), Wahaab (Ire), Mawfoor (Ire), Rosso Corsa (GB), Rogue Wave (Ire), Dubawi Fun (GB), Lanark (Ire), Riverboat Springs (Ire), Championship (Ire), Thrtypointstothree (Ire). Scratched: Bahamian Heights (GB).
Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, courtesy attheraces.com.
   War Command did not enjoy the best of trips when opening up at Leopardstown June 7, but showed the necessary guile to get up late for a neck success, despite his inexperience, in that seven-furlong test. Dropped one panel for this, he belied his long odds by fairly scooting up in Joe Allen’s green-and-white checks to earn quotes as low as 5-1 favorite for next term’s G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Exhibiting a tinge of greenness and settled in rear after allowing his rivals half a stride at the break, he cruised into contention in hand approaching the final quarter mile and made his rivals look distinctly second rate when leaving them for dust in the closing stages to secure a hugely impressive win by daylight. "I’m speechless really and this is a wonderful, wonderful day," beamed winning breeder and co-owner Joe Allen. "It is a rare, but wonderful experience of horse racing. I have been in racing for 35 years and today has been the highlight of all highlights. Two major winners on the first day of Royal Ascot, one a Group 1 and the other a Group 2, it just doesn’t get any better. We got lucky and we have a good horse." Aidan O’Brien, who claimed a record-equaling seventh renewal, added, "We have always liked him, he was very green in his maiden and had to make a few moves, but he still won snugly. He won over seven [furlongs] and can do a lot of things now so has a lot of options. He could be trained for the [six-furlong G1] Phoenix S. [at The Curragh Aug. 11] or any one of those races." Richard Fahey, trainer of the runner-up, commented, "Parbold ran well and I thought we might have found another two or three lengths with a better run, but we wouldn’t have beaten the winner. He’ll come on a bit for that and we might now look for a sales race for him."

   The New York Racing Association Reorganization Board of Directors unanimously named Chris Kay to NYRA’s vacant CEO position yesterday, more than 13 months after former NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward was terminated. The now state-controlled NYRA released Hayward last May after a report by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board found that he was aware of NYRA’s failure to reduce take-out by 1% on certain wagers for 15 months after state law mandated a reduction. The error was discovered in December of 2011 and said to have cost bettors more than $8 million. Former COO Ellen McClain, who served as NYRA’s president following Hayward’s departure, subsequently announced in January that she would be resigning. McClain’s last day at NYRA was Apr. 30, at which point the NYRA board installed VP of Racing Facilities and Racing Surfaces Glen Kozak, VP of Corporate Development David O’Rourke and Senior VP and CFO Susanne Stover as an interim management team while they searched for a permanent CEO. Kay, a 1978 graduate of Duke Law School, was an equity partner in several Orlando-area law firms before serving as vice president and general counsel and later COO of Toys “R’ Us. After a two-year stint as an executive at Universal Parks and Resorts, Kay became COO of The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a major non-profit land conservation organization. He left that post earlier this year. Kay will receive a base salary of $300,000 with up to $250,000 in additional performance bonuses. He will start July 1. 

 

Animal Kingdom and Graham Motion

© Racing Post

Royal Ascot kicks off Tuesday and headlining the show is Animal Kingdom, running in the G1 Queen Anne S. and Dawn Approach, facing off with Coolmore's duo of Magician and Mars in the G1 St James's Palace S...Team Valor's Barry Irwin offers some behind the scenes insight on the Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup champ's road to Royal Ascot...Andrew Caulfield takes a closer look at Treve, victorious in last weekend's G1 Prixe de Diane..All that and plenty more in Tuesday's TDN.

2nd-PRX, $62,540, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 1:10 2/5, ft.
   +SIXTEEN STONE (c, 3, Closing Argument--Yolie's Choice, by Silver Deputy), a 5-2 chance for his debut here, broke from the outside and remained wide in midpack through the opening stages. Sixteen Stone improved his position into the bend, bid from about five wide entering the lane took command late and finish two lengths clear of Tango On (Stonesider). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,960. Click for the brisnet.com chart or VIDEO.
   O-Dennis Narlinger. B-Coast Stables LLC (PA). T-Kelly J Breen.