The workmanlike win in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown has made New Approach return to winning at horse races. After finishing third behind Duke of Marmalade in the Juddmonte International, Jim Bolger’s hero had something to prove here.

Kevin Manning had given the son of Galileo a no-nonsense ride with its brute strength that left the runner-up Traffic Guard really surprised. Though New Approach was sent to the race at odds of 8-13, I had always thought that he was close to a brisk pace that was initiated by Red Rock Canyon.

Though New Approach was ponied again down to the start by holding all the aces in the last furlong, he needed to keep up to his good work to defeat Traffic Guard by over half a length.

Bolger said that at the previous run at Newmarket, New Approach was just a bit too keen as they had actually rushed a lot of work into him in a short span of time. In fact, he also said that there wasn’t actually sufficient pace today, where they had to overdo the setting.

I feel that this was a rather easy race for New Approach where he will come out of it rather well. And as he is also in the Arc, Breeder’s Cup Classic and the Champion Stakes at Newmarket, I suppose that he will be running in at least two of these three races.