Dawn Approach Filly Too Good for Colts

Tara Madgwick - Saturday December 9
Darley's first season sire Dawn Approach (IRE) has a very good filly in the shape of unbeaten two year-old Gongs, who made it two from two when beating the colts at Rosehill on Saturday in the $100,000 open juvenile event.



Prepared by James Cummings, Gongs made everyone sit up and take notice when she bolted in to win at Canterbury on debut last month by five and a half lengths.

Gongs returnsSent out favourite for her second start taking on some very well bred colts in the 1100 metre dash, Gongs (images Steve Hart) again proved far superior.

She jumped fast for Kerrin McEvoy, but was asked to settle when two runners kicked up inside of her to challenge for the lead.

Gongs was eased to travel in third place facing the breeze, but hit the line hard down the running to win by a length and a half over fast finishing Orcein (Snitzel) with Charge (Zoustar) an encouraging third.

"They didn't hand it to her on a silver platter, she had to do some work and still got the job done," said Godolphin representative Darren Beadman.

"She has a real touch of brilliance and class about her. Dawn Approach has a pretty special filly.

"Mentally she's like a four year-old mare!"

With a tick over $109,000 in prizemoney, Goings is now well placed to look towards a Golden Slipper campaign in the autumn.

Bred and retained to race by Darley, Gongs is a half-sister to stakes-placed Mesa and is the fifth winner from five foals to race out of stakes-winning Bel Esprit mare Belcentra, who was bought by Darley at the 2009 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $500,000.

Darley on-sold her in 2016 at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale for $90,000 and she produced a filly by Denman for her new owners before dying later in the year.

That filly will be offered by Widden Stud as agent at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale as Lot 279 and with Gongs adding some excitement to the pedigree, she's going to be a filly well worth inspecting.

Dawn ApproachGongs has the honour of being the first Southern Hemisphere bred winner for Darley's four time Group I winning Galileo son Dawn Approach, the Champion 2YO Colt and 3YO Miler of his generation.

He is the sire of 13 winners from his first Northern Hemisphere crop of two year-olds that have been racing this year and include four stakes-place-getters.

Dawn Approach has seven entries for Magic Millions and eight for Inglis Classic.


Advertisment
More Reading...
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
Aquis Welcome First foals for Young Gun Officiating
A fast Group winning sprinter by Breeders Cup Classic winner Blame, Officiating (USA) was carefully selected by Aquis Stallions following a global headhunting mission to secure an outcross stallion for Queensland and his first foals are arriving this spring.
Breeding to Win - 2025 Manikato Stakes
Racing at The Valley on Grand Final Eve in Melbourne - the southern capital doing what it does best, bringing people together in celebration of sporting greatness!
Sires With Winners - Thursday September 25
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
Invincible Filly Snares $100,000 Inglis Bonus
The least expensive filly by champion sire I Am Invincible sold at Inglis Easter in 2024, Wear the Crown always looked to have been well bought at $260,000 by Seib/Racing / Champion Thoroughbreds and she set about repaying her purchase price at Goulburn on Thursday.
Ardrossan Filly Wins First Kiwi Juvenile Race of New Season
Otaki horseman Johno Benner has a good association with the Karaka Millions, and he could have another serious contender on his hands for January’s showpiece.
30 Runners in Goffs Million!
The stage is set for Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million (7f), which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners at the Curragh this Saturday and the €1 million contest, with prize money down to 10th, is only open to graduates of last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Richard Johnston has bred some very good horses under his Bylong Park banner including triple Group I winner Think It Over and an Anders three year-old he bred and races was an eye-catching debut winner at Hawkesbury on Thursday.