Few racehorses anywhere in the world in recent years have matched the achievements of New Approach, who was that very rare phenomenon: an outstanding two-year-old who got even better at three. Accordingly, the appearance of New Approach’s first foals at the forthcoming December Sale at Tattersalls is likely to arouse plenty of interest. They will inevitably figure on the wanted lists of all serious buyers, while there are sure to be plenty of spectators eager to inspect them simply for the pleasure of seeing their father’s sons and daughters – such was and is the aura which surrounds this true champion.
We have been lucky to see a handful of outstanding juveniles during the first decade of this new century. New Approach definitely came right into this category, not merely for the fact that he won five from five including the championship contests of both England and Ireland (the Dewhurst and the National Stakes) but also for the fact that he showed true courage as well as brilliance, precocity and consistency, fighting like a lion up the hill on the Rowley Mile to win what by common consent was a truly vintage edition of the Darley Dewhurst Stakes.
Having been the complete two-year-old, New Approach did what in the ultra-competitive modern era should be impossible: he did even better at three. If he’d been brave in the Dewhurst, he was heroic in the 2,000 Guineas. Attempting to make all the running up Newmarket’s straight mile on his seasonal debut was never going to be easy, and any normal horse would have conceded defeat when Henrythenavigator collared him inside the final furlong – not New Approach, though, who lunged again on the line to reduce the margin to a nose. That performance was special, but even more special was his win in the Derby. Racing more like a sprinter than a stayer, he raced fiercely over a distance half a mile farther than he’d ever raced before – but still dug deep as only champions can in the final furlong, his courage and his class carrying him home the half-length winner.
Finally, New Approach’s racing career ended almost literally in a blaze of glory. The Rowley Mile was bathed in brilliant autumnal sunshine for Champions’ Day 2008, and New Approach took his cue to bring the curtain down on his brilliant career in blinding style, bidding his many fans farewell in unforgettable style by routing the opposition in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes, passing the post six lengths clear of the runner-up Twice Over (who, of course, has subsequently gone on to win the next two renewals of this time-honoured championship race) and breaking the track record in the process.
Fast-forward a little over two years, and now New Approach is ready to hand the baton to his first foals, some of whom are due to make their first public appearance at the December Sale. First to be offered to the market will be Cheveley Park Stud’s son of the stakes-winning Danehill mare Coy (lot 870) while five lots later comes Glashare House Stud’s son (lot 875) of the G1-placed Petorious mare Velvet Appeal, a full-sister to the G1 winner Sapieha and already the dam of the stakes winner Velvet Flicker.
New Approach’s first filly offered for sale comes with a tremendous pedigree, the first three dams of the Goldford Stud-consigned daughter (lot 917) of the Danehill mare Danelissima being stakes winners. From the immediate family of Irish Derby winner Soldier Of Fortune and Darley Dewhurst winner Intense Focus, this filly is a half-sister to the Group-placed winner Fergus McIver and is sure to attract plenty of attention – as is the second filly set to come under the hammer, Ballybin Stud’s daughter (lot 1039) of the stakes-placed Giant’s Causeway mare Annee Lumiere.
The final New Approach foal in the December Sale is Brick Kiln Stud’s colt (lot 1140) from the Zafonic mare Al Hasnaa, a full-sister to the G2 winner Alrassaam who has already bred the Listed winner Aischa.
Understandably, New Approach was favoured with an outstanding book of mares in his first season at stud in 2009. His sons and daughters will almost invariably come with top-class pedigrees, and these five well-bred foals engaged in the December Sale make a perfect way of introducing New Approach’s stud career to the public.
