As predicted, class told in the end  in the Champion stakes at Newmarket when the gallant New Approach powered home clear of his rivals in this Group 1 contest.  It was nothing less than an annihilation. After taking over from his pacemaker Upton Grey three furlongs out, New Approach powered further and further clear, eventually passing the post a dazzling six lengths in front of nearest pursuer Twice Over with Linngari back in third. As if more proof was needed of the brilliance of the display, Newmarket's 1m2f course record is now his. For trainer Jim Bolger and rider Kevin Manning, New Approach's success put the seal on a sensational season and a wonderful afternoon. Just 35 minutes earlier they had teamed up to win the Darley Dewhurst Stakes with Intense Focus. Big-race doubles do not come much bigger. Confirming the colt's retirement, Bolger said: "It was his last run and he has done everything right and it is all over now. He is the finest horse beyond a mile that I have trained." He added: "He was in super form coming up to this week and I couldn't have been happier with him. He had it all worked out himself and gave me the two fingers today. He even stood in the unsaddling enclosure when we put the saddle on and didn't move. "He was as near as to perfect as you could get going to the start and he was bombproof during the race." Manning said: "He was very impressive today, and of all his wins, today was his best. "The pace horse went a good seven-furlong pace and everything went according to plan. I get the easy job - full credit to Jim and the boys."

We suggested Carracciola was a decent place prospect and it was pleasing to see Nicky Henderson's 11 year old win at 50-1.  If you backed Legspinner EW with firms offering 5 places then you would have collected with this one at 28-1 .

JIM BOLGER believes punters can expect a much-improved display from New Approach when he returns in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes on Saturday week, after teaching the Derby winner how to settle. The Derby hero took on Duke Of Marmalade in what was dubbed the clash of the season in the Juddmonte International last week, but had to settle for third behind his major rival. Bolger believes the run will not have been lost on his stable star, though, and thinks he should be spot-on for a likely rematch at Leopardstown. "New Approach came out of the race fine but he was just too strong in the early part of the race," said Bolger.  "He was very fresh early and very rusty late and I said afterwards I needed to get him to settle again. He has started to do that in his work already and I think you will see a different horse next time. "The Irish Champion Stakes is still very much the plan at this stage."

Barry Geraghty is to form a strong alliance with Nicky Henderson following the retirement of stable jockey Mick Fitzgerald earlier this month. Geraghty, who rode Henderson's Punjabi to win the ACCBank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown in April, will commute on a regular basis from Ireland to ride a number of the Lambourn handler's major hopes. "Following Mick's retirement, there is obviously a very big gap to fill," Henderson said.
"As a result, Barry Geraghty is going to come over from Ireland a lot of the time and rather like Ruby (Walsh) does (with Paul Nicholls), he will have commitments on both sides. "Barry has ridden a lot of winners for me in the past and the great thing about him is he is still young, hungry, we get on well and above all, he is a very good jockey."
As well as Geraghty, Henderson will be using the services of champion jockey Tony McCoy - when he is available.
"Obviously, there are going to be times when we have horses at different meetings and basically, we have an arrangement that Tony will ride for us when he is not riding for his principal retainer. "I think we have a very good package with those two!" Henderson is keen to stress there are still places in his team for jockeys Marcus Foley and Andrew Tinkler, as well as up and coming young pilot Felix De Giles. Fitzgerald will also have a major input on proceedings. "It goes without saying that Mick is going to be involved and he will help the rest of the jockeys enormously - especially with the horses that he has ridden in the past," Henderson continued. "We are very lucky that we have a lot of very nice horses and Marcus Foley and Andrew Tinkler, who have been an integral part of the team over the years, will still be in residence. "Felix De Giles is a top young rider and he will also stay with us.
"You have to bear in mind that Barry and Tony are not exactly 10st jockeys so the other boys will be very much part of the team this season." Geraghty is excited by the prospect of riding Henderson's stable stars and has already been to the Seven Barrows yard to eye up some of the firepower. "It is a very exciting prospect for me and obviously I will be riding a lot of good horses," said Geraghty. "Most of the quality racing in Ireland is on a Sunday so hopefully I will be riding in England most Saturdays and a few days during the week. "I will continue to ride for Jessica Harrington as well so I've got the best of both worlds really. "I went over to the yard last week and I suppose if there is one horse I'm really looking forward to it's Punjabi. I won on him at the Punchestown Festival earlier this year and he has progressed so he should be a big contender for the top two-mile hurdle races this season." Meanwhile the trainer said of Binocular, "He arrived back yesterday from Martinstown, J P McManus' stud in Ireland. He has grown a little bit and is very strong. It is a notoriously difficult year for four-year-olds but Katchit proved it is possible. We haven't really thought about plans though we might look at the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle." 
 

New Approach gave Irish trainer Jim Bolger and jockey Kevin Manning their first success in the Vodafone Derby with a game victory at Epsom. The English and Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up, sent off at 5-1, just held the persistent challenge of Sir Michael Stoute's Tartan Bearer (6-1), ridden by Ryan Moore, by half a length. Another Irish runner, Casual Conquest, the 7-2 favourite, was four and a half lengths away in third.

Trainer Ralph Beckett and jockey Seb Sanders landed their first British Classic as Look Here produced a 33-1 shock in the Juddmonte Oaks at Epsom.  Runner-up in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on her only other start this year, the Hernando filly sprinted clear of her rivals two furlongs out and the race was over as a contest.   Moonstone (25-1) made late headway for Richard Hughes to claim second three and three-quarter lengths away, with Katiyra, who seemingly failed to handle Tattenham Corner, back in third.   Johnny Murtagh tried to make all the running on Adored, his choice of the six Aidan O'Brien runners, but was soon swallowed up in the straight.    The Irish still looked set to fight out the finish as first Chinese White and then Lush Lashes laid down a challenge.    But nothing could get near Look Here as Sanders, joint-champion jockey with Jamie Spencer last season, rode her out to the line for a famous victory.

Major Cadeaux (pictured right) booked  Group Three glory in the JW Lees Stakes at Haydock on Saturday. Formerly the John of Gaunt Stakes, the valuable seven-furlong heat went the way of Richard Hannon's charge. 

Halfway To Heaven capped a weekend to remember for Aidan O’Brien when securing a thrilling renewal of the Boylesports Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh. O’Brien saddled Henrythenavigator to land the 2000 Guineas on Saturday and had further cause for celebration as Seamus Heffernan brought the 13-2 chance home in front. In a tight finish, Halfway To Heaven found just enough to repel 66-1 outsider Tuscan Evening, with 7-1 chance Mad About You close behind in third.

Henrythenavigator found a tremendous turn of foot to put New Approach to the sword in the Boylesports Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh. Aidan O'Brien's charge, winner of the Newmarket equivalent earlier in the month, franked that form in no uncertain terms as he came home an impressive winner. In an exact repeat of the result in England, Henrythenavigator (5-4) saw off 11-10 favourite New Approach, with the supplemented Stubbs Art having to settle for third once more. New Approach was soon ushered into the lead by regular big-race partner Kevin Manning and he applied a fair pace to the race. The tempo quickened appreciably as the five runners reached the final three furlongs but Stubbs Art and Henrythenavigator were still moving with real menace at that point. New Approach showed his customary stomach for a scrap, however, and responded by finding more in front. However, as Stubbs Art began to weaken out of the fight for top honours, Johnny Murtagh brought Henrythenavigator down the centre of the track with a powerful run. He hit the front inside the distance and powered clear to score with something in hand by a length and three-quarters. O'Brien said: 'He is a very classy horse, he has fantastic speed. All the horses are coming forward from their first runs and obviously he has as well. 'All the options are open to him. He is still in the Derby, that is an option as well as Royal Ascot (St James's Palace). The boss (John Magnier) and Sue (Magnier) will make that decision.
'He is a very classy horse. He has relaxed, quickened and done everything right.' O'Brien went on: 'Johnny is a naturally positive person and was so confident; he kept saying this fellow won't come off the bridle during his work. 'The lad who rides him every day said before Newmarket that he is a mile-and-a-quarter horse on the dirt, but some of the other lads said he is very fast and Johnny always thought a mile would be very easy to him. 'All the options are open, but most Kingmambo horses stay well and he is out of a Sadler's Wells mare.
'The Derby is very much in the picture. He is a definite possible as he is fit and well and handles all of the things. 'He is very solid an hacked down to the start very good. 'He has a devastating turn of foot and that is what makes the good horses special.'

Aidan O'Brien and Johnny Murtagh cemented their new association as Henrythenavigator pipped New Approach in a thrilling finish to the stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. The race lived up to its billing in the 200th running of the colts' Classic as the two Irish-trained three-year-olds fought out a tremendous duel. And it was Henrythenavigator (11-1) who prevailed by a nose from 11-8 favourite New Approach, with 100-1 shot Stubbs Art four lengths further away in third. New Approach launched a gallant attempt to stretch his unbeaten record to six as he made the running, with Fireside, Plan and Dream Eater all close up. Jim Bolger's charge took a couple of lengths out of the field when Kevin Manning kicked for home some way out. But Murtagh, who had Henrythenavigator well positioned in midfield, made his move and brought the Kingmambo colt to throw down a strong challenge. He took a narrow lead inside the final furlong and although New Approach rallied in the last 50 yards, the post came in time for Henrythenavigator, giving O'Brien his fifth 2000 Guineas and Murtagh his second. Murtagh, in his first season as retained rider to Coolmore as he succeeds Kieren Fallon, said: 'Fair play to the second - I thought I was going to beat him a neck, but he battled back. 'My fellow really answered the call in the last few strides. 'It keeps getting better. Aidan is a great trainer and Ballydoyle is a great place to be.' O'Brien said: 'He has always been a good horse. Last year we backed off with the two-year-olds mid-summer and only got going again with them late on.'They were also running on winter ground through the summer so we gave them all time. We knew we wouldn't know the results of that until this year. 'Johnny gave him a masterful ride and he has always had plenty of speed. It was his first run of the season and he will come on for it. Johnny said he got tired in the final 50 yards. 'We might have a look at the Irish 2000.' Bolger said of New Approach: 'I'm happy with him. It would have been lovely to win, but he ran a fantastic race anyway. 'Everything went very well and they are two very good horses. The Irish Guineas will be next.' Stubbs Art's trainer David Elsworth said: 'I am part pleased and part disappointed. Anyone can read a form book, but he had a very good chance on what he was showing at home. That's racing.' Raven's Pass came from last to finish fourth as trainer John Gosden's concerns about his high draw proved correct. 'I didn't like the draw and we've been left exposed," said the Newmarket trainer. 'He's come from last and I'm querying his stamina. The plan is the Jersey Stakes and the July Cup.'