Approach on course for Ascot

Trainer Jim Bolger reports Dawn Approach on course for a return to action in time for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October.

The brilliant 2000 Guineas winner was turned around quickly following his narrow defeat by Toronado in the Sussex Stakes when sent to Deauville to contest the Prix Jacques le Marois.

He finished a fairly tame fifth behind Moonlight Cloud and Bolger informed Simon Crisford, Godolphin’s racing manager, he had scoped with mucus afterwards and would be given a course of antibiotics.

“He has scoped clean and, all being well, we’re looking to prepare him for the QEII,” said Bolger.

Meanwhile, trainer Dermot Weld has ruled out a tilt at the Racing Post Trophy with Free Eagle, the ante-post favourite for next year’s Epsom Derby.

The High Chaparral colt made a superb start to his career in a Leopardstown maiden earlier this month, with the subsequent victories of the respective second and fourth, Orchestra and Kingfisher, giving weight to the theory it was a particularly strong event.

“I could see maybe just one more start this year,” said Weld. “It’s quite possible (he will run at Leopardstown), because he’s not a horse I want to go on late into the autumn.

“If everything goes right it will be there (Leopardstown) or the Beresford (Curragh, September 29), rather than the Racing Post Trophy, because I think that will come a little bit late in the year for him.”