Dawn delivers in Palace thriller

Dawn Approach got his career back on track with victory in an incredible finish to the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Jim Bolger’s 2000 Guineas hero had run deplorably when far too keen in the Investec Derby at Epsom, but was strongly-backed as the 5-4 favourite to get back on the winning trail returning to a mile just 17 days later.

Once again pulling for his head in the early stages, the three-year-old got seriously squeezed for room in the straight, in an incident which also hampered Toronado, but picked up well in the hands of Kevin Manning.

Toronado made a real race of it on his outside as the two battled all the way to the line, with Dawn Approach triumphing by just a short head.

Manning said: ``It was so disappointing in the Derby. It was a big blow to everybody.

“Once I got my head in front and Richard (Hughes, on Toronado) was fighting me he was always holding on.

“He’s a real battler. I wasn’t sure I’d won but I thought he had.”