Dawn Approach's Dawn Passage Stakes Claim for the Golden Rose

Mark Smith - Saturday August 10

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Dawn Passage stamped himself a colt with a future when he defeated a handy field by upwards of three and a half lengths when making his career debut at Randwick in January and it did not take long for the son of Dawn Approach (IRE) to stamp himself as a player in the big three-year-old races in the spring.

Coming off a 26-week break since finishing a troubled third behind the high-class Dundeel colt Castelvecchio in the Inglis Millennium at Warwick Farm, Dawn Passage came with a barnstorming finish from second last to earn a maiden stakes win in Saturday's Listed The Rosebud at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Advertisement

With the speedball Cardiff setting a cracking pace in front, Tim Clark settled Dawn Passage back in the field and he had plenty of ground to make up in the straight.


Switched out to mount his challenge, Dawn Passage picked off runner after runner to defeat the Redoute's Choice filly Let It Pour by a neck with the I Am Invincible filly Lucicello charging home from last to be a short-half-head back in third. (images Steve Hart)

"He's an outstanding individual an outstanding colt. To do what he did today and have to make up the lengths he did over 1100 metres, it was an outstanding effort," Waterhouse said.

"He was going through a growth spurt last time in and he will only improve as he gets out over further. That's an outstanding stepping stone to the Golden Rose."

Bred by The Toorak Thoroughbred Breeding Trust, Dawn Passage was consigned by Mill Park Stud to the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale where he was knocked down to A Bott / G Waterhouse / Blue Sky Bloodstock for $150,000.

A half-brother to the Group III SAJC Jansz Stakes winner Dinkum Diamond (Keep The Faith), Dawn Passage is the eighth foal and the sixth winner for the now pensioned Raja Lane.

The daughter of Devaraja was a crack racemare earning over $428,000 with seven wins highlighted by the Group III SAJC Dermody Stakes.

Her final foal is a 2yo colt by Rebel Raider.

Dawn Passage becomes the seventh stakes-winner and the first in Australia for the 4-time Group 1 winner Dawn Approach (IRE).

The son of New Approach (IRE) covered just 34 mares last spring and is not returning in 2019.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Who Was Flight?
A G1 race since 1984, the Flight Stakes is a race won by special fillies - often the ones who go on to do extraordinary things on the track against all comers as older mares and that's as it should be as Hall Of Fame legend Flight exemplified that style of thoroughbred.
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
Captivant Colt Shines at Warwick Farm Trials
Captivant’s burgeoning reputation for producing precocious 2YOs took another leap forward at today’s Warwick Farm trials, with Courthezon powering to victory in Heat 10.
New Stakes-Winner for Zoustar
The $150,000 Listed Hannan’s Handicap (1400m) provided reigning champion sire Zoustar with a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding Multinational led for home and could not be caught.
Kiwi Sires a Recipe for NZB Ready to Run Sale Success
Much of the NZB Ready to Run Sale’s extraordinary success has been underpinned by the stallions that have stood in New Zealand in recent decades.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
We had three heats for 2YO’s run at Warwick Farm on Friday morning over 815m with winners by Farnan, Ole Kirk and Kia Ora Stud’s first season sire Captivant, while Stay Inside had an impressive trial winner at Murray Bridge.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
It was all happening at the Rosehill trials on Tuesday morning with a runaway Golden Slipper winner, the first public outing of 2019 for glamour colt The Autumn Sun and a typically understated trial from the world’s best racehorse Winx who hit the line hard in third gear under a hold.
Four Winners for Dennis
Local trainer Robert Dennis won half of the eight-race card at Ascot Park on Friday, culminating with a special win by Sir Sterling in the Vale Tony Dennis (1400m).
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 Darley Flight Stakes
The prestigious Darley Princess Series reaches its crescendo this week with the 77th running of the $750,000 G1 ATC Flight Stakes (1600m) over Royal Randwick's famous mile.
First Australian Stakes Winner for Dawn Approach
Mark Newnham said he had to pinch himself after his two-year-old Dawn Approach (IRE) gelding Diamond Thunder overpowered the erratic favourite California Zimbol in Saturday’s Listed Authentic Security Oxlade Stakes (1200m) at Doomben.