A bright New talent

New Approach could hardly be enjoying a better season, and on 31 May he sired his second Classic winner of the year when his daughter Talent won the Oaks in tremendous fashion.

Settled towards the rear under Richard Hughes, Talent was still some way back as the field entered the straight but a tremendous run home saw her ease past her rivals to win going away by three and three-quarter lengths.

Trained by Ralph Beckett, Talent won on her second start at two and gained her first Black type on her three-year-old debut when landing the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket. In winning the Pretty Polly and the Oaks, she emulates Cape Cross’s outstanding daughter Ouija Board.

Bred by Ashbrittle Stud and M H Dixon, Talent hails from a stamina-packed family. Her dam Prowess was Stakes-placed in the Cheshire Oaks and is a daughter of G3 winner Yawl, who in turn is a daughter of Oaks heroine Bireme. Prowess, who has now produced two Stakes performers from her first two runners, also has a full-sister yearling to Talent.

Epsom will hopefully once again prove a successful hunting ground for New Approach tomorrow, when 2,000 Guineas winner and odds-on favourite Dawn Approach and Dante Stakes winner Libertarian line up in the Derby. Should one of them take the Blue Riband, New Approach will become only the third stallion since the second world war to sire the winners of the Derby and the Oaks in the same season – the two to have already done so are Blushing Groom and Sadler’s Wells.

New Approach, Champion first-season sire of 2012 and also sire this year of Australian Group winner Montsegur, stands at Dalham Hall Stud at a fee of £50,000 October 1st SLF.