Second on debut over six furlongs at York May 30, Galileo Gold went one better over that trip at Salisbury June 9 before doubling his tally on good-to-soft ground in a seven-furlong conditions event at Haydock July 2. Handling the rain-softened conditions better than most in this line-up, he added another high-profile win to Hugo Palmer's burgeoning resume with a gutsy effort here. Keen early trapped wide from his wide posting, the chestnut was held up with just Palawan behind but was switched to the inner for his run alongside the rail-runner Ibn Malik approaching the quarter pole. As the gap opened wide soon after, he was able to surge through and see off the Shadwell representative with a strong staying effort on the run to the line. “I got a good run and he galloped right to the line–I was very impressed,” jockey Frankie Dettori said. “He's a big, tall scopey horse and he wasn't stopping there. He's beaten the best around now and beaten them well, so you've got to aim high now. This fellow likes to get his toe in, so it was perfect ground for me. He was very brave and quickened up very well. He's quirky, but he's learning.” Al Shaqab's racing manager Harry Herbert added, “Sheikh Joaan has just arrived to see the race and see Goodwood in all its glory. He is sponsoring the meeting this year, it's a dream start. I'm thrilled, too, for Hugo, who is on his honeymoon and can't be here. I've just spoken to him and he's watching from the beach in Turkey. The Sheikh has always said he wants to support the younger trainers as well. If we're lucky enough to buy a horse like this, we always keep the horse with the trainer and if it's a young trainer and someone whose career is just beginning to blossom and flourish, it's a bonus. I love this horse. He's got size and scope and he's a wonderful mix between Paco Boy, his sire, and there's a lot of Galileo coming in from the dam's side. He's an exciting prospect and the best is yet to come, hopefully. We'll look at races like the G1 Dewhurst S. [at Newmarket Oct. 10] and on Qatar weekend at Longchamp. Autumn races are the key, he handles this ground well which bodes well for that time of year.” Charlie Hills said of Ibn Malik, “That was a very good run for a horse having just his second start and he's a nice horse. He's in the [Sept. 12] G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster, but we won't rush him.”
Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR VINTAGE S.-G2, £200,000, GOO, 7-28, 2yo, 7fT, 1:28.06, g/s.
1–#@GALILEO GOLD (GB), 127, c, 2, by Paco Boy (Ire)
1st Dam: Galicuix (GB), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Clizia (Ire), by Machiavellian
3rd Dam: Cuixmala, by Highest Honor (Fr)
(7,500gns RNA Wlg '13 TATFOA; €33,000 Ylg '14 TISEP). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Brian O'Rourke (GB); T-Hugo Palmer; J-Frankie Dettori. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $192,389. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ibn Malik (Ire), 127, c, 2, Raven's Pass–Moon's Whisper, by Storm Cat. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £43,000.
3–Palawan (GB), 127, c, 2, Mount Nelson (GB)–Apple Sauce (GB), by Prince Sabo (GB). (6,500gns Wlg '13 TATFOA; €27,000 Ylg '14 TISEP). O-Potensis Bloodstock, J Palmer-Brown & Ptnr; B-Exors of the Late Mrs B Skinner (GB); T-Richard Hannon. £21,520.
Margins: 3/4, NO, NO. Odds: 4.50, 5.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Twin Sails (GB), Birchwood (Ire), Beaverbrook (GB), Welford (GB), Strong Challenge (Ire). Scratched: Air Vice Marshal. Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
