First-season sires to the fore

Two new winners for Epaulette and another successful runner for Dawn Approach this weekend

Runners by first-season sires Dawn Approach and Epaulette have been making a great impression this weekend, with new winners on the board for both young Darley stallions.

Epaulette recorded a brace of new winners, with Morlock justifying odds-on favouritism to take the seven-furlong novice at Kempton by half a length on Friday. This was swiftly followed on Saturday when Field of Roses ran out the two-length winner of the seven-and-a-half-furlong maiden in Milan.

Morlock was bred by Mr Albert Conneally and is out of the Green Desert mare Mon Bijou, a half-sister to Singspiel’s G1-winning daughter Folk Opera.

Bred by Massimo Parri, Field of Roses is out of Snowfield (Tale Of The Cat), also dam of Poet's Voice's triple Group winner Voice of Love.

Also on Saturday, Dawn Approach recorded a new winner when Fajjaj made a successful racecourse debut at Ascot. Hugo Palmer’s charge showed great tenacity under Josephine Gordon having been headed close to home to pick up and win the seven-furlong contest by half a length from favourite Court Of Justice.

Fajjaj was bred by Wansdyke Farms Ltd & J M Burke and is out of Pleasantry (Johannesburg), a half-sister to four-time G1 winner Kingman.

Epaulette has now sired 13 individual winners, including Stakes-placed filly Sankari Royal, while Dawn Approach is responsible for four individual Stakes performers (including G2-placed filly Mary Tudor) and a further four winners.