Wise Approach was taking another big step towards some of the targets achieved by his illustrious half-brother with a stylish victory in Friday’s Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury.
Godolphin’s Mehmas colt had finished second to Charles Darwin in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, the same race in which his sibling Perfect Power had claimed success in 2021.
Perfect Power, who is by Ardad, went on to become a triple Group 1 winner in the Prix Morny, Middle Park Stakes and Commonwealth Cup and is now at Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud with his first yearlings hitting the market soon.
The pair were bred by Tally-Ho Stud with their other half-brother, Golden Mind, third in the Chesham Stakes and now quite a useful sprint handicapper. It was on the back of Perfect Power’s feats that Godolphin paid 1,000,000gns for Wise Approach at last year’s Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Their dam, the Frozen Power mare Sagely, has an April-born yearling full-sister to Wise Approach.
There’s a premium on Night Of Thunders, given the spectacular results this season have propelled the Darley sire into the lead in the British and Irish standings, so his son Gewan is starting to look very good value at €80,000 in winning what looked a competitive 7f novice.
Gewan (Billy Loughnane, yellow) makes a winning debut at Newbury Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
The grey had had cost Longways Stables 100,000gns at Book 2 from Overbury Stud, his joint-breeders with Dukes Stud, and he was prepared for May’s Arqana Breeze-Up Sale. Gewan failed to find a buyer in the ring but was later sold privately to agent Billy Jackson-Stops on behalf of Al Rabban Racing.
The well-made Gewan kept galloping on his debut for Andrew Balding, whose Guineas hero Chaldean took a division of this race three years ago, to come a length and a quarter clear of Godolphin’s $700,000 Keeneland purchase Ruler Of Time. Exclusive Code, bought by Wathnan Racing for €280,000 at Arqana, looked one to note in staying on for fourth.
Gewan is the second foal out of Listed-placed miler and Lethal Force mare Grey Mystere, who is out of a half-sister to 2007 Prix Saint-Alary winner Coquerelle.
“He’s going to improve massively, he’s obviously a big boy,” jockey Billy Loughnane told Sky Sports Racing. “He was a little greener than I expected being a breeze-up, but he’s very talented and hopefully he’s on the up.”
Richard Hannon’s Sapphire Steps, who took the 6f fillies’ maiden, could fit in the same category as a nicely-bred daughter of Dark Angel bred by Yeomanstown Stud who was found by Peter and Ross Doyle for 38,000gns at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale.
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