Dawn Approach heads Irish bonanza on opening day of Royal Ascot

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

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.