Darley resident Dawn Approach (IRE) is currently the only first season stallion throwing down a challenge to the runaway leader Spirit Of Boom.
Godolphin homebred Gongs made it two from two when winning at Rosehill a fortnight back and Gong's stablemate Condemned kept up the impressive strike rate for Dawn Approach (IRE) when he made a winning career debut over 1200 metres at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
After looking to be in trouble 300 metres out, Condemned picked up impressively in the closing stages to defeat Sokudo (Not A Single Doubt) by a short-neck with Rock Zone (All Too Hard) a nose back in third. (photo Steve Hart ).
Always among the top few in betting following an impressive barrier trial win at Randwick on December 11, Condemned has a good deal of improvement left in him according to the James Cummings stable representative Darren Beadman.
"His quite a deceiving type of colt. He's not explosive he just goes through his gears in his work of a morning," Beadman said.
"We've had success with the Dawn Approaches, they are lovely horses to train, very straightforward, full proof, get the job done.
"On the corner, I thought he was going to get into a little bit of trouble but he just builds his revs up, a very professional effort.
"There's still not a lot of muscle definition there and I said to James (Cummings) this morning whatever he does today he will certainly improve on. He's got a little bit of a waistline around him and that will trim him up nice."
Condemned shares another thing in common with Gongs, besides being Godolphin homebreds by Dawn Approach (IRE).
The dams of the pair are no longer in the paddocks at Darley.
Gongs is out of stakes-winning Bel Esprit mare Belcentra, who was bought by Darley at the 2009 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $500,000 before on selling her 2016 at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale for $90,000.
Darley parted with $390,000 to secure Condemned's dam Only She Can at the 2009 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
At the 2016 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, Only She Can was hammered down for $24,000.
She was carrying a colt from the first crop of Hallowed Crown who will be consigned by Kenmore Lodge to the upcoming Inglis Classic Yearling Sale as Lot 564.
A stakes-winning daughter of Marju, Only She Can is a half-sister to the Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes winner Living Spirit (Hennessy) the dam of Group III Dark Jewel Stakes winner Seaside.
This is the family of Robert Sangster's Group 1 winner mare Pure Of Heart who is the dam of the highly successful stallion Lion Hunter.
Dawn Approach (IRE) is a 4-time Group 1 winning son of New Approach.
He has eight lots catalogued for the Inglis Classic, six at the Inglis Premier and nine heading to the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast.
