Bolger happy with Dawn Approach Jim Bolger reports Dawn Approach to be in good form ahead of his run in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. The QIPCO 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner has recovered from sickness which followed his disappointing run in the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville in August. On that occasion he finished eight lengths behind Moonlight Cloud and Olympic Glory, with the latter seemingly sure to take him on again on Saturday. "Dawn Approach is very well and we are very happy with him," said Bolger on Tuesday morning, as he prepares his stable star for Europe's richest mile race. "I am hopeful that he will be able to cope with the softer ground but we won't be sure until after the race." He has encountered yielding ground in Ireland and good-to-soft in the UK, but never softer than that, though the straight course at Ascot does drain particularly well. The going is currently good-to-soft on the straight course with a dry day forecast for the rest of Tuesday. He could yet have his fourth encounter with Toronado, which Dawn Approach leads 2-1, though that will depend on how much rain falls between now and Saturday with Toronado appreciating good or faster ground. Looking to his runner in the QIPCO Champion Stakes, the Irish Derby winner, Trading Leather, Bolger said: "Trading Leather is very well but we are very concerned about the ground with him." French star Cirrus des Aigles is a strong favourite as he bids to win his second QIPCO Champion Stakes with Godolphin's Farhh likely to be his biggest market rival.
