SHOOTOUT: FATHER VS SON... AND GRANDSON

Galileo Profile (2012)
(Image and Footage : Blue Silk Productions)

“Blow-By-Blow”

Bill Oppenheim
Thoroughbred Daily NewsJust two weeks ago, Galileo had not sired a Northern Hemisphere Group 1 winner in 2013. Then, ten days ago, Magician won the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, and that signalled a sea change.

There were three Classics last weekend: the G1 Epsom Oaks on Friday; the G1 Epsom Derby on Saturday; and the G1 Prix du Jockey Club French Derby on Sunday. In those three races, twelve horses, of course, filled the first four places. Six of the twelve places were filled by 3-year-old colts and fillies by Galileo. Two more were filled by first-crop 3-year-olds by Galileo’s son, New Approach. Two more were also from the Sadler’s Wells sire line: Sky Hunter, third in the Jockey Club, is by Motivator, by Montjeu, by Sadler’s Wells; and Jockey Club fourth Mshawish is by Medaglia d’Oro, by El Prado, by Sadler’s Wells. So, out of 12 horses filling the first four places, 6 were by Galileo himself, 2 by New Approach, and 2 more by other Sadler’s Wells-line sires: that’s ten out of twelve. One of the other two, Epsom Oaks third The Lark, is by Pivotal out of a mare by In The Wings by Sadler’s Wells. Only French Derby second Morandi, by Holy Roman Emperor out of a Bering mare, has no Sadler’s Wells in his pedigree; the other eleven do, and ten of them are in tail-male. That’s mighty convincing. The Epsom Derby and the French Derby were won by Galileo’s sons Ruler Of The World (RPR 121) and Intello (RPR 120), respectively. Libertarian, by New Approach, was second in the Epsom Derby, with Galileo sons Galileo’s Rock and Battle Of Marengo third and fourth. In Friday’s Oaks, Talent, by New Approach, was the shock 20-1 winner, upsetting stablemate Secret Gesture, by Galileo, with Moth, by Galileo, fourth.

See the accompanying table for the blow-by-blow. To say Galileo had a monster weekend would be seriously understating it; moving from 45th on the Northern Hemisphere General Sires List (where European-based sires are at a disadvantage with lower levels of prize money) into third just about sums it up. Galileo is such a dominant Classic sire now that it is tempting to compare his record thus far to that of his sire, the incomparable, 14-time Champion Sire, Sadler’s Wells.

Northern Hemisphere-Sired Group 1 / Grade 1 Winners by 3 Top Sires

Sire	Crops (of 3yo’s)	Foals	G1 Wnrs	Pct G1	G1 crop	Avg. crop
SADLER’S WELLS	23	2245	73	3.25%	3.17	97
DANEHILL	15	1351	42	3.22%	2.80	90
GALILEO	8	1063	30	2.82%	3.75	132

Given that Galileo’s 3-year-olds aren’t even halfway through their 3-year-old years, it’s entirely possible by the end of the year, Galileo will have even more Group 1 winners. Comparing him now to Sadler’s Wells and Danehill puts Galileo at a seven-month disadvantage; a fairer comparison will be at the end of the year, when his eighth crop of 3-year-olds will have finished their 3-year-old careers. With that perspective, it has to be said he compares pretty favorably with the other two top European sires of the last 25 years.

Galileo’s son New Approach, unbeaten Champion European 2-year-old of 2007 and winner of the 2008 G1 Epsom Derby, had a pretty amazing weekend himself, even given the total eclipse of the previously unbeaten 2012 Champion European 2-year-old of 2012 and 2013 G1 English 2000 Guineas winner, Dawn Approach. His star shone bright with Epsom Oaks winner and the Derby second, Libertarian, relegating the previous European 2013 leader, Raven’s Pass (Elusive Quality), like New Approach a Darley stallion, but based at Kildangan Stud in Ireland, to second in Europe. Talent and Dawn Approach make two Classic winners in his first crop, and Derby second Libertarian had won the important G2 Dante Stakes in his previous start, so that makes three 2013 graded stakes winners (GSW) for New Approach, and four overall.

EPSOM OAKS G1
1 1/2 Miles
Friday 31 May 2013

Pos	Name	Age	Sex	Sire
1	TALENT	3	F	New Approach, by Galileo
2	SECRET GESTURE	3	F	Galileo
3	THE LARK	3	F	Pivotal (dam by In The Wings, by Sadler’s Wells)
4	MOTH	3	F	Galileo

EPSOM DERBY G1
1 1/2 Miles
Saturday 1 June 2013

Pos	Name	Age	Sex	Sire
1	RULER OF THE WORLD	3	C	Galileo
2	LIBERTARIAN	3	C	New Approach, by Galileo
3	GALILEO ROCK	3	C	Galileo
4	BATTLE OF MARENGO	3	C	Galileo

PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB G1
2100m
Sunday 2 June 2013

Pos	Name	Age	Sex	Sire
1	INTELLO	3	C	Galileo (out of a Danehill mare)
2	MORANDI	3	C	Holy Roman Emperor
3	SKY HUNTER	3	C	Motivator, by Montjeu, by Sadler’s Wells
4	MSHAWISH	3	C	Medaglia D’Oro, by El Prado, by Sadler’s Wells

9 DAYS: 3 CLASSICS: 1 STALLION

Watch Intello winning the Prix du Jockey Club
(Image : RTE - Footage : Equidia)

“Whoever thought we’d see the likes of
the mighty stallion Sadler’s Wells again?”

His fourteen sires premierships made the previous standard-bearers, Hyperion (five) and St Simon look like the kindergarten. Yet the measure, it has so often been said, of a great progenitor, lies in his ability to get better than himself and that, it seems, is exactly what Sadler’s Wells has in his son, Galileo. In a matter of nine days, Galileo has put all the phenomenal things he’s achieved already in the shade, with three European Classic winners in less than ten days, two of them this past weekend. On Sunday, Intello added the French Derby (Prix du Jockey Club) to English repertoire.

Settled into a beautiful rhythm by the masterful Olivier Peslier, Intello tracked the leading pair until quickening to the fore entering the final 300 metres and was in command thereafter as Morandi and Sky Hunter gave vain pursuit. An unlucky third in the Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the bay thus gave Coolmore’s European Champion Three-Year-Old Galileo a third Classic winner in nine days following the victories of Magician and Ruler Of The World in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the Derby.

Intello is the eighth Graded/Group winner by the outstanding son of Sadler’s Wells and the thirty-fourth to triumph at the highest level. Intello is the second foal of Impressionnante, who won the Gr.2 Prix de Sandringham on this day seven years ago and finished runner-up in both the Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and Gr.1 Prix d’Astarte. An elegant daughter of Danehill, Impressionnante is out of Kaldoun’s Gr.1 Prix de la Foret and Gr.1 Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine Occupandiste, who produced the Gr.3 Prix de Saint-Georges and Gr.3 Prix du Petit-Couvert victrix Only Answer to another son of Danzig, Green Desert. Successful in the Gr.2 (now Gr.1) Prix d’Astarte, Occupandiste’s grandam Elle Seule produced Derrinstown Stud’s Gr.1 July Cup winner Elnadim to Danzig, the Gr.1 Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Mehthaaf to Sadler’s Wells’ three-parts brother Nureyev and the Gr.3 Nell Gwyn Stakes victrix Khulood to Storm Cat. By Exclusive Native, Elle Seule is one of nine Stakes winners out of the Gr.1 Matron Stakes queen Fall Aspen, these including Danzig’s Gr.1 July Cup winner Hamas and Gr.2 Diadem Stakes scorer Bianconi and Sadler’s Wells’ Gr.1 Grand Prix de Paris hero and South African Champion Sire Fort Wood as well as the Gr.1 Preakness Stakes victor Timber Country (Woodman), the Gr.1 Gamely Stakes heroine Northern Aspen (Northern Dancer) and Dubai Millennium’s dam Colorado Dancer (Shareef Dancer).

Intello is one of eleven Group winners from the 81 foals aged three and over by Galileo out of daughters of Danehill. Indeed, seven of these have triumphed at the highest level, Intello joining the Classic winners Cima De Triomphe, Frankel, Golden Lilac and Roderic O’Connor and the European Champion Juveniles Maybe and Teofilo, whilst an eighth, Cuis Ghaire, finished second in the 1,000 Guineas. Interestingly, the tryst between Galileo and Danehill produces sex-balanced inbreeding to Northern Dancer’s dam, the disqualified Spinaway Stakes victrix Natalma, and to two dual US Horses Of The Year in Natalma’s sire Native Dancer and Buckpasser.

Editor’s Note: Earlier this week, Summerhill became home to its sixth daughter of Galileo, when Uthawini came “home” after her recent re-purchase at the Cape Broodmare sale. By Galileo out of a Danehill mare, she represents the same cross which produced Frankel and Sunday’s Derby hero.

RULER OF THE WORLD RULES INVESTEC DERBY

Watch Ruler Of The World winning the Investec Derby (Group 1)
(Image - ODT - Footage : Racing UK)

INVESTEC DERBY (Grade 1)
Epsom Downs, Turf, 2423m
1 June 2013

Impressive when winning the May 9 Group 3 Chester Vase, Ruler of the World (Ire) (Galileo) entered the Group 1 Investec Derby as the 7-1 second-favored of the Ballydoyle quintet and emerged on top under jockey Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Settled towards the rear early, the bay who sported cheekpieces as he did at Chester, surged to the front passing the quarter pole and kept grinding to beat the strong-finishing Libertarian (GB) (New Approach) by 1 1/2 lengths, with Galileo Rock (Ire) (Galileo) a short head behind in third.

“We feel very lucky to be standing here,” John Magnier said. “This is what it’s all about. That’s why the Derby is such an interesting race, as its all unfolding and we didn’t know where they were this year because of the weather.”

Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach) was lit up from the outset and his refusal to settle meant that he was a spent force by the time the quarter mile pole was reached, ultimately finishing last.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

MAGICIAN CASTS SPELL ON IRISH 2000 GUINEAS

Magician wins the Irish 2000 Guineas (Group 1)
(Image : RTE - Footage : Racing Post)

TATTERSALLS IRISH 2000 GUINEAS (Group 1)
The Curragh, Turf, 1609m
25 May 2013

Already successful eight times in the Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, trainer Aidan O’Brien produced the goods once again at the Curragh as Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Susan Magnier’s Magician (Ire) (Galileo) dominated the Classic and led home Gale Force Ten (GB) (Oasis Dream) for a stable one-two in the process.

Sent off the 10-3 second favorite, the winner of the 10-furlong Group 3 Dee Stakes at Chester traveled easily in third under jockey Joseph O’Brien and, after passing the long-time leader Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo) approaching the furlong pole, stretched clear to score by 3 1/2 lengths.

“He’s a very tough horse and tries very hard, stays well and handles fast ground,” said Joseph O’Brien. “He is improving every day and has loads of pace. I couldn’t say he wouldn’t get further than 10 furlongs either.”

Aidan O’Brien appeared to play down thoughts that he could run in the Derby afterwards. “We always thought he had a lot of class with the movement and the looks,” he offered. “You have to have a lot of speed for Chester, and he was sailing and traveling like a dream for the first half of the race. He’s very exciting. The lads are very tactically astute and will decide where he goes, but I’d imagine we might wait a bit with him. We’ll see how the horse is.”

John Magnier was on hand to run the rule over the performance. “He was impressive and is an improving horse,” he said. “Being by Galileo, he should stay further, and there are all kinds of options. We’ve done crazy things before, so we could run him at Epsom.”

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

HIGH CHAPARRAL RIDING HIGH

James McDonald celebrates aboard It’s A Dundeel following an emphatic victory in the Australian Derby
(Photo : Jenny Evans/The Age)

“THE AUSTRALIAN TRIPLE CROWN”

Let’s be frank, no Triple Crown is ever a piece of cake, because wherever you are, you have to take on the best of your contemporaries. It’s even tougher in a place like Australia, which today is as competitive a racing jurisdiction as any. The Aussies last witnessed a Triple Crown winner in 1996 when the mighty Octagonal managed it, and for Australian-breds theirs is probably all the more elusive because their producers have spent much of the last century and before, breeding the five and six furlong steeds for which they’re famous. That meant that if ever there was going to be a contender, it was more likely to come from the sturdy beasts across the Tasman than Australia.

The Australian Triple Crown is a big ask, rivalling both the American and English versions in its demands, and arguably outpointing both in the tightness of its schedule. As opposed to the American’s, the range of its distances (1600m to 2400m,) is broader too, comprising the Randwick Guineas (over 1600m), the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and the Australian Derby (2400m), demanding not only loads of versatility, but buckets of durability, squeezed as it is into a matter of four weeks.

This past weekend, new Triple Crown history was made by a son of High Chaparral, It’s A Dundeel, who completed the third leg with an annihilation of his rivals by a growing six lengths, suggesting his class and stamina could make him competitive in Europe later in the year for  the likes of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr.1) at Ascot, or Longchamp’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr.1). While the stamina profile of Aussie-breds has changed somewhat in recent times, it says something for the skills of New Zealand breeders that both Octagonal and It’s A Dundeel are from the Land of the Long White Cloud, perpetuating a decades-long tradition of producing some of the Southern Hemisphere’s best stayers.

It’s A Dundeel’s sire High Chaparral, who kicked off life very much in the shadows of his illustrious paternal siblings, Galileo and Montjeu, has climbed to the pinnacle of his profession through a tally of no fewer than six individual Group One winners from his first year at stud (four in the Southern Hemisphere and two in the Northern Hemisphere), and he now has this standout in his second crop. Its A Dundeel is not isolated in his class though; among his fellow candidates in Saturday’s production were a further three in the ten horse field (Kingdoms picking up the third place cheque) while his unbeaten son Toronado is a strong Epsom Derby fancy in the UK.

His highest rated Northern Hemisphere product is the Summerhill resident, Golden Sword (Timeform 122), who might’ve been a Derby winner in any other year; it was his misfortune to be born in the same era as the World Champion, Sea The Stars, and Fame And Glory.

Enquiries :
Linda Norval +27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email linda@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za