As a three-year-old, Dawn Approach won the classic 2000 Guineas on his first appearance, going on to win the St James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

His dam, Hymn of the Dawn, was bred in the United States and was an unsuccessful racehorse in five starts, with her best effort a fourth place in the 2001 European Breeders Fund Maiden.

[4] Dawn Approach returned to Naas nineteen days later for the Listed Rochestown Stakes and completed a hat trick, winning by two and three quarter lengths.

[5] Two weeks after his second win at Naas Dawn Approach was sent to England and moved up in class to contest the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

[7] After his Ascot win, a controlling share in Dawn Approach was sold for an undisclosed sum to Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin Racing organisation.

[8] Instead of moving the colt to the stable of Mahmood Al Zarooni or Saeed bin Suroor it was decided that he would remain in training with Bolger.

[11] Starting at odds of 3/10, he took the lead inside the final furlong from Leitir Mor and pulled clear to win by two and three quarter lengths.

The race saw the first appearance on a British Racecourse since the Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni had been banned for administering anabolic steroids to his horse.

"[17] Less than three weeks after his defeat at Epsom, Dawn Approach returned to the one-mile distance for the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

[20] Eleven days later Dawn Approach started favourite for the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville Racecourse but after pulling hard in the early stages he faded to finish fifth behind Moonlight Cloud, Olympic Glory, Intello and Declaration of War.

After reduced demand in 2020 Dawn Approach transferred to Redmondstown Stud in County Wexford, the breeding operation of his former trainer Jim Bolger.