Treading a familiar path to some of Ballydoyle's top juveniles of the past, Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) followed a smooth win in the July 25 G3 Tyros S. at Leopardstown with a more hard-fought one in Friday's G2 Futurity S. at The Curragh. Settled third early by Ryan Moore behind the stable's Toronto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Iberia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the 4-6 favourite enjoyed a split between them to gain the lead two out and may have been idling late as the 50-1 shot Rebel Tale (Tale of the Cat) got to within 3/4 of a length. Geometrical (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) was third, a length away.
Armory began with an encouraging third on debut behind Justifier (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) in a Leopardstown maiden over seven furlongs June 13 before showing a sharp turn of foot to open his account over the same trip at The Curragh June 27. Emulating Rip Van Winkle (Ire), Cape Blanco (Ire), Deauville (Ire), Churchill (Ire), The Pentagon (Ire) and Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) as a son of Galileo whose name honours this race in winning the Tyros, the bay is in exalted company now that he has added this prize. Of the quintet of colts that O'Brien has won the Tyros and Futurity with, Cape Blanco, Gleneagles, Churchill and Anthony Van Dyck have won Classics in the next season.
This was stacked with promising colts and they all had their crack, but Armory proved too strong. If he is to add Classic glory to the list, it will more than likely be over a mile as he possesses more speed than the average Galileo. His dam After (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was placed in the G3 Ballyogan S., G3 Anglesey S. and G3 Brownstown S. between six and seven furlongs. Her first foal by Galileo was Bond Street (Ire), who proved a smart handicapper at up to a mile for this stable last term having lacked Armory's precocity. The second dam is the GI Garden City Breeders' Cup third Noahs Ark (Ire) (Charnwood Forest {Ire}), who is a half to the listed scorer Temps Au Temps (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) from the Juddmonte family of the champion grass mare Wandesta (GB) (Nashwan) and G2 Flying Five-winning sire Deportivo (GB) (Night Shift). After's a yearling colt and filly foal are also by Galileo.
Friday, Curragh, Ireland
GALILEO IRISH EBF FUTURITY S.-G2, €130,000, Curragh, 8-23, 2yo, 7fT, 1:28.03, yl.
1–ARMORY (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: After (Ire) (MGSP-Ire, $107,377), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Noahs Ark (Ire), by Charnwood Forest (Ire)
3rd Dam: Abstraction (GB), by Rainbow Quest
O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €76,700. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $138,487. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rebel Tale, 129, c, 2, Tale of the Cat–Purr and Prowl, by Purim. ($37,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-P Garvey; B-Parrish Hill Farm & Ashford Stud (KY); T-Andrew Slattery. €26,000.
3–Geometrical (Ire), 129, c, 2, Dawn Approach (Ire)">Dawn Approach (Ire)–Symmetrical, by Unbridled's Song. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger. €13,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1, HF. Odds: 0.65, 50.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Roman Turbo (Ire), Justifier (Ire), Jungle Cove (Ire), Iberia (Ire), Toronto (Ire). Scratched: Lope Y Fernandez (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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