The next Teofilo??
 

A horse owned and trained by the same connections, by the same stallion, he has just won the same race Teofilo did last year.

His name?

New Approach.

He is a beautiful looking son of Galileo. A big scopey individual who can only improve with a step up in trip and with another year on his back.

He is a really exciting prospect, and he is around the 16/1 - 20/1 mark for next years 2,000 Guineas.

Here is a replay of him winning today:
http://play.www.atr.servecast.net/pp..._07_28_02_1820


His debut win:
http://play.www.atr.servecast.net/pp..._07_15_08_1735

the big thing i miss about being away is seeing guys like this run and make their mark.. could be a nice one..

You have been gone a long time. Are you sure you're not lost.
:D

The way he pulled away from the other horses in the stretch, he looks to be a good one. If you can get 16/1 on him now for next years 2000 Guineas you should lock in a few hundred on him.

Bolger certainly cant be accused of underestimating his horse, though I do believe the Secretariat image is more to do with his looks (at the moment!!)

NEW APPROACH rocketed to the head of the betting for the 2,000 Guineas when maintaining his unbeaten record at the Curragh, with trainer Jim Bolger labelling his latest stable star "a European version of Secretariat".

The colt is 8-1 favourite (from 14) with sponsors Stan James for the 2,000 Guineas, and is as short as 5-1 (from 14) with Sky Bet after a scintillating success in the Group 2 Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes under regular partner Kevin Manning.

This was the third successful step towards the Classics, New Approach's route having been the exact same one taken by this year's 2,000 Guineas Bolger-trained hero Teofilo during his juvenile season.

Henrythenavigator, who could manage only third in the 7f event, is on the drift for the 2,000 Guineas, with Stan James going 14-1 (from 10).

Whatever else is said about New Approach being the new Teofilo, his performance confirmed he is a serious horse in his own right.

Indeed, rather than compare him with the recently-retired former star of his Coolcullen stables, Bolger found a very different comparison to make.

He said: "Teofilo was champion two-year-old of Europe last season and had middle distances written all over him, as well as showing terrific speed to win the Dewhurst.

"But I see New Approach as a European version of Secretariat. Like him, he's a chestnut with white legs, and I think his style of racing is the same."

Sent off 8-11 favourite in the five-runner race, New Approach was taken on up front by Henrythenavigator's stablemate Warsaw, but he shook off that rival, and the main Ballydoyle hope, to win easily by three lengths.

Henrythenavigator was run out of second place late on by the Jessica Harrington-trained Curtain Call, who beat Kieren Fallon's mount by a neck.

New Approach has so far matched Teofilo in winning a Curragh maiden, the Group 3 Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown, before this Group 2.

Now the choice facing Bolger is whether the son of Galileo continues on the Teofilo route by running next in the Group 1 National Stakes back at the Curragh on September 16, or deviates in search of a bigger prize.

Bolger said: "We will have to choose between the National Stakes and the Goffs Million two days before the National Stakes. We'll have a good think about it before deciding.

"He is a very strong colt and will go on improving. I think he will stay middle distances, as his dam Park Express won the Irish Champion Stakes for us."

New Approach is 8-1 favourite (from 16) with Boylesports, and 10-1 market leader (from 12) with Paddy Power, for the Vodafone Derby.

The time of 1m 29.00 secs compared with Teofilo's 1m 22.68 secs on much faster ground a year ago, and winning jockey Manning said: "The ground was very different to last year and we also came over to the stands' side today, whereas we went up the far side last year."

He added: "I'd say we're talking about somewhere in the region of a 30-yard difference.

"Like Teofilo, this fellow is a serious horse. He has loads of early pace and also stays very well."

Henrythenavigator had lost out to New Approach's stablemate Saoirse Abu in the Phoenix Stakes on his previous run, and Aidan O'Brien's Coventry Stakes winner again had to settle for minor money.

The Ballydoyle trainer could only shrug in acceptance of the result. He said: "The winner is clearly a very good horse, and full marks to him for a very good performance. But our fellow just doesn't like that sort of going."

He added: "Hopefully, he will get better ground next time. There are no plans for him just yet."

He was so impressive yesterday. I'm off out in a bit, but i will post the replay when i'm back home this evening.

He was on the early pace with Warsaw, who was in the race as a spoiler really, to bustle up New Approach. They both went very fast considering it was soft ground and at one point they were about 8 lengths clear of Henrythenavigator who was in 3rd.

There was a point when i feared the front two had gone far too fast, but when Warsaw started feeling the pinch, Kevin Manning was still sat motionless on New Approach. He took a look under hid right shoulder and could see Fallon gaining on Henrythenavigator. Manning popped the question to New Approach and he soon powered away from Henry (who was caught on the line for second) to win a very easy 2-3 lengths.

It then took Kevin Manning quite a few furlongs to pull the horse up, suggesting that the race had took very little out of him.

The scary thing is that he won this race much easier than Teofilo managed to last year, and look how good he was!

Here is the race replay from yesterday at the Curragh

http://play.www.atr.servecast.net/pp..._08_25_05_1600

Thanks for posting these links guys. :)

A very impressive horse...

He is much more visually impressive than Teofilo last year who just kept digging out more and more.. Onwards and Upwards from here I hope!!