New Approach wires in National

New Approach won the most definitive juvenile race of the European season to date on Sunday, leading throughout for a most convincing score in the Group 1, $416,000 National Stakes at the Curragh.

Now undefeated after four starts, New Approach and his jockey, Kevin Manning, held sway over the Vintage Stakes winner, Rio de la Plata, by 1 3/4 lengths with the Prix Morny winner, Myboycharlie, the same margin away in third. Sent off as the 9-4 choice, New Approach covered the seven furlongs in a swift 1:23.50.

Trained by Jim Bolger and owned in equal shares by the trainer's wife, Jackie Bolger, and Sheikh Mohammed, New Approach has taken the same apporach as his former stablemate, last year's European juvenile champion, Teofilo. Both won a Curragh maiden followed by wins in the Group 3 Tyros Stakes, the Group 2 Futurity Stakes and then the National, all at seven furlongs.

Teofilo completed his championship season with a win in the Dewhurst Stakes, but Bolger said that a trip to Newmarket for that seven-furlong Group 1 contest on Oct. 20 may not be necessary for New Approach to maintain his edge as Europe's leading 2-year-old.