Winning Approach opens season in style

Karnup trainer Darryn Pateman is planning to throw exciting colt Common Approach in the deep end in Perth after an impressive first-up win at Bunbury on Sunday.

Common Approach turned ninth but upstaged the field with an outside run to win his first career start by a nose from Guardlock ($3.80) and Peggies Louise ($1.80f) in the Wake Up With Cliff and Dougie Maiden (1000m).

The galloper has a regal bloodline, being by sought-after Irish sire New Approach, which was in 2008 rated the best racehorse in the world by World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings.

New Approach was a winner of more than $3 million from 11 starts in a whirlwind 16-month career which included five Group 1 wins.

Pateman said he was expecting big things from Common Approach, which was bought at the Perth Magic Millions yearling sale in 2012.

“He’s always shown us a fair bit and we will head to Perth for better racing,” Pateman said.

“The win was really good. We’ll throw him in the deep end up in Perth now and see how he goes.

“He should be able to get up to at least 1600m, because his father won the Epsom Derby which is over about 2400m and they were also pretty quick on his mother’s side.”

The victory was part of a riding treble for Bunbury Cupwinning jockey Jarrad Noske, who also saluted with Eyes Don’t Lie ($2.70f) and King of the Palace ($2.60f).

Eyes Don’t Lie, trained in Bunbury by Michael Lane, held off Energy Boy to claim the SLR Performance and Mechanical Maiden (1400m) by a head.

It was the four-year-old gelding’s ninth attempt at breaking his maiden status.

The Trevor Andrews-trained King of the Palace took out the Radio West Handicap (1000m) by ¾ length after a duel with General Albert ($31).

Andrews prepared another winner when Apocalypse Now ($2.40) overcame a wide barrier to storm to an imposing victory in the Quality Hotel Lord Forrest Maiden (1400m).

The four-year-old gelding jumped from gate 14 and turned sixth but eclipsed his rivals in a thunderous finish to win by 6½ lengths.

There was plenty of value for punters at the opening meeting of the season.

After Common Approach claimed the first of the day at $21, Peter and Matt Giadrescotrained gelding Ontrust won the Peter Strange Memorial Handicap at the juicy odds of $31 on the Tote.

Angel Wing, trained by Simon Foster, got up in the Harvey Norman Superstore Bunbury Handicap (1200m) paying $18.

Other opening day winners included Rock Bar ($8), Casual Time ($6) and Danish Delight ($4), trained in Capel by Ross and Clint Price.