Galileo's Sir Isaac Newton Keeps Rolling In the International

For a race that can come up weak on occasion, this looked a proper renewal on paper and it drew a proper winner as the upwardly-mobile Sir Isaac Newton made light of a quick turnaround having won Royal Ascot's Listed Wolferton H. eight days ago. Any horse that costs 3.6million guineas as a yearling will attract intense scrutiny and while he reached a notable standard on his sole juvenile outing when second to the subsequent Listed Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial winner Zawraq (Ire) (Shamardal) over seven furlongs at Leopardstown, he received the first dent to his reputation when surprised by the useful Cymro (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in a 10-furlong maiden at 1-6 at last year's May meeting at Chester. Dropped back to seven to easily open his account at Gowran Park three weeks later, he showed the first sign of his true ability when sixth and undoubtedly denied the win by persistent late traffic trouble in Royal Ascot's G3 Jersey S. over that trip. Back only once more last term, he was ridden aggressively from the front before fading to fourth in the G3 Solonaway S. over a mile on Leopardstown's Irish Champions card and after a winter freshener was a well-beaten runner-up in a first-time hood in a seven-furlong Dundalk conditions race Apr. 18. Given one more run before the Royal meeting, he was the subject of a perfect confidence-building ride by Emmet McNamara when third to the subsequent Royal Hunt Cup winner Portage (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Chemical Charge in a smart renewal of the Listed Silver S. over this course and distance June 4. Engaged in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. and G1 Queen Anne S. at Ascot, but the Wolferton was chosen and his performance in capturing that competitive 10-furlong contest was the first time since the Jersey that he had demonstrated his raw material. It was also due reward for all the work and diligence that had been undertaken at Ballydoyle and on the racecourse to put all the pieces together for a colt that always had more to him than just a lofty price-tag.

Held on to early by Ryan Moore towards the rear as Chemical Charge served up a true test in front, Sir Isaac Newton travelled with enthusiasm to immediately allay any fears that this might come too soon after his Ascot exploits. Soon tanking his way into third behind the positively-ridden Qatar Racing representative and the long-absent Agnes Stewart (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), he was kept in temporarily against the rail in early straight by the aptly-named In My Pocket to his outside. Ryan Moore saw enough daylight on the inner and had enough horse underneath him to take the plunge and as the long-time leader leaned in towards the rail he had the chance to back out, but he showed a tenacious side to squeeze past and gain the advantage with 100 yards remaining. Asserting in the run to the line, there was a feeling that the Ballydoyle colt had more to give as he proved an ultimately comfortable winner with the rest strung out behind.

Aidan O'Brien had spoken after the Wolferton of Sir Isaac Newton being very immature early in his career and taking a long time to “relax and get into it”, but he may be there now with some major targets ahead. America was mooted afterwards and M V Magnier was on hand to comment, “He seems to keep on improving with racing and Ryan gave him an unbelievable ride–there is no fear in him. He said if he wasn't going through the gap he was going through the rail and in fairness to the horse he battled on. He is going the right way now.” As is to be expected of one creating such a colossal impact at Tattersalls, the winner has the pedigree to match his physical capacity. While his dam Shastye only managed a fairly low-key black-type performance when runner-up in the Listed Pontefract Castle S., she has gone on to produce Secret Gesture (GB), Galileo's hugely impressive winner of the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial who was surprisingly beaten in the G1 Epsom Oaks only by her stablemate Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}). She went on to collect the G2 Middleton S. and be runner-up in the G1 Preis der Diana before being cruelly disqualified in the GI Beverly D. S. last August. Her dam is the late Jean-Luc Lagardere's G2 Prix de Royallieu-winning champion Saganeca, who is also responsible for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero and sire Sagamix (Fr), the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer and Arc third Sagacity (Fr) and GSW Sage et Jolie (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}), who in turn threw the G1 Prix d'Ispahan-winning sire Sageburg (Ire). Another offspring of Saganeca, Sagalina (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}), is the dam of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Sagawara (GB) (Shamardal), while Coolmore have previous with this family as a result of the G3 Chester Vase runner-up Almighty (Sadler's Wells). Also from the extended dynasty of the Irish Derby hero Tambourine and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. winner Nasram, Shastye also has a 2-year-old filly by Street Cry (Ire) named Secret Soul (GB) and a yearling filly and a colt foal by Galileo.

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
FINLAY VOLVO INTERNATIONAL S.-G3, €65,000, CUR, 6-26, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:12.25, yl.
1–@SIR ISAAC NEWTON (GB), 135, c, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Shastye (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Saganeca, by Sagace (Fr)
3rd Dam: Haglette, by Hagley
(3,600,000gns Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Newsells Park Stud (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €38,350. Lifetime Record: SW-Eng, 9-3-3-1, $141,320. *Full to Secret Gesture (GB), GSW & MG1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr & Ger, GISP-US, $746,427; and 1/2 to Maurus (GB) (Medicean {GB}), SW & GSP-Aus, $265,986. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Chemical Charge (Ire), 135, c, 4, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Jakonda, by Kingmambo. (€95,000 Ylg '13 ARAUG). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Viktor Timoshenko (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. €13,000.
3–In My Pocket (Ire), 135, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Hidden Silver (GB), by Anabaa. (290,000gns RNA Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-Sunderland Holdings Inc (IRE); T-John Oxx. €6,500.
Margins: 3/4, 4, 4 1/4. Odds: 1.35, 1.50, 8.00.
Also Ran: Sanus Per Aquam (Ire), Agnes Stewart (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.