New Approach

New Approach was unbeaten in five starts as a two-year-old. He made his debut in a maiden race at The Curragh in July, winning by two lengths in what would be his only race outside group class. Two weeks later he started evens favourite for the Group III Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown and led from the start to win "easily".[5] In August he returned to the Curragh to win the Group II Futurity Stakes at odds of 8-11 from Curtain Call, with Henrythenavigator in third, again leading from the start.[6] In September he was moved up to Group I level for the first time in the National Stakes. He made all the running and moved clear in the closing stages to win "comfortably",[7] defeating the future Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère winner Rio de la Plata in a race which brought together the top three horses in the ante-post betting for the 2008 2,000 Guineas.[8]

On his final start he travelled outside Ireland for the first time for the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. He was already beginning to show signs of a headstrong temperament, and had to "ponied" down to the start.[9] In the race, he was held up for the first time, took the lead a furlong out, and, after being put under pressure for the first time in his career, prevailed by half a length from Fast Company, with future Breeders' Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass in third and Rio de la Plata in fourth.[10]

On his 2008 debut, New Approach went to the 2,000 Guineas Stakes without a prep race. In the build-up to the race, Bolger had announced that the colt was most unlikely to run in The Derby, with the Irish Derby being the preferred option[11] In the Guineas, New Approach went off the 11-8 favourite and led as usual, but was caught inside the final furlong and beaten a nose by Henrythenavigator.[12] Three weeks later, in the Irish 2,000 Guineas Henrythenavigator again defeated New Approach, this time by one and three-quarter lengths,[13] with the Bolger colt hanging in the closing stages and apparently unsuited by the fast ground.

New Approach was expected to run next in the Irish Derby, but on 2 June Jim Bolger announced an abrupt change of plan. Despite having been left in The Derby entries by mistake, New Approach would in fact take his chance in the English race.[14] The decision aroused some hostility in the British press, who claimed that those who had already placed bets on the race had been misled.[15] Sent off the 5-1 second favourite, New Approach pulled hard in the early stages as Manning struggled to settle him. Halfway down the straight he seemed to be boxed in and unable to challenge, but a gap appeared on the rail, and he was driven to take the lead a furlong out, staying on to beat Tartan Bearer by half a length.[16] Although the winner's performance was praised, his reception was "muted"[17] and Jim Bolger defended the late change of plan in a "heated" post-race press conference.[18]

A foot injury ruled New Approach out of the Irish Derby, and he was then aimed at the International Stakes at York in August. The race also attracted the leading older horse Duke of Marmalade who had won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, and the meeting of the two champions was much anticipated by the press as a "clash of the titans".[19] Bad ground conditions forced the race to be abandoned, and it was rescheduled for Newmarket four days later. New Approach again failed to settle,[20] and pulled hard in the early stages, but this time he could only finish third behind Duke of Marmalade and Phoenix Tower.[21]

Two weeks later New Approach appeared in the Irish Champion Stakes, a race for which Duke of Marmalade, was a late withdrawal. As usual, he pulled hard from the start, but Kevin Manning was able to settle him, and, after taking the lead early in the straight, he kept on well to win at odds of 8-13.[22] The form of the race was not particularly strong, with the half-length runner-up Traffic Guard having an official rating of only 110, but New Approach's connections were satisfied, with Manning commenting "he had bundles in the tank".[23]

New Approach's final start came in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket on 18 October, for which he was sent off 6-5 favourite against ten opponents. In a performance described in The Observer as "scintillating",[24] he took the lead three furlongs out and pulled away from the field to win by six lengths from Twice Over in race record time.[25]

Group 1 winners:

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding