In an ongoing saga of the summer, The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was in front of Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) this time on Goodwood's Downs after a thrilling tussle for the G1 Qatar Sussex S. which also involved another 3-year-old in Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). Second to the 2000 Guineas winner in Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. June 14 before filling that same position in the G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown July 2, The Gurkha was the subject of significant heavy support into 11-8 favouritism and tanked along in the hands of Ryan Moore stalking the front-running 9-4 second favourite Galileo Gold. Needing a gap to get off the rail inside the final quarter mile, he found it approaching the furlong pole and wore down his arch-rival with 100 yards left as Ribchester closed in out wide. At the line, the very tough G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero had a neck to spare over Galileo Gold, with the G3 Jersey S. winner Ribchester a short head away in third. “He's a very good colt and he showed that at Deauville, but things haven't been right for him since and that was a good race with good horses in it,” his jockey said. “He deserved that. I was always very happy, as he travels so well and I knew when the horse folded an inch in front he'd be able to make room. He has so much pace, he can go wherever you want him to and when you need him to.”
Wednesday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR SUSSEX S.-G1, £1,000,000, GOO, 7-27, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:37.35, g/f.
1–THE GURKHA (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Chintz (Ire) (GSW-Ire, $149,166), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Gold Dodger, by Slew o' Gold
3rd Dam: Brooklyn's Dance (Fr), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Chintz Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £560,200. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 6-3-2-1, $1,372,915. *Full to Queen Nefertiti (Ire), GSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Galileo Gold (GB), 126, c, 3, Paco Boy (Ire)–Galicuix (GB), by Galileo (Ire). (7,500gns RNA Wlg '13 TATFOA; €33,000 Ylg '14 TISEP). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Brian O'Rourke (GB); T-Hugo Palmer. £213,300.
3–Ribchester (Ire), 126, c, 3, Iffraaj (GB)–Mujarah (Ire), by Marju (Ire). (€78,000 Wlg '13 GOFNOV; €105,000 Ylg '14 GOFORB). O-Godolphin; B-A Thompson & M O'Brien (IRE); T-Richard Fahey. £106,800.
Margins: NK, HD, 3. Odds: 1.35, 2.25, 8.00.
Also Ran: Toormore (Ire), Gabrial (Ire), Lightning Spear (GB), So Beloved (GB), Awtaad (Ire), Kodi Bear (Ire), Richard Pankhurst (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
At the start of this season, Air Force Blue (War Front) was understandably all the rage at Ballydoyle, with The Gurkha one of the promising few yet to see the track who could be filed under the “wait-and-see” category. Yet all the information the bods at Rosegreen had suggested he was made of the correct stuff and after a comfortable intro when third on testing ground over this trip at Leopardstown Apr. 6 he was able to make a sizeable jump when scoring by nine lengths on the same horrible surface in a Navan maiden 11 days later. Rising to prominence fast when issuing out the same treatment to some classy colts in the May 15 Poule d'Essai des Poulains staged on Deauville's straight course, he had too much ground to make up on Galileo Gold in the St James's Palace, where it now appears the rain-softened ground played against him. Instead of waiting for this race and come here fresh, Aidan O'Brien read the signals at home and duly sent him to Sandown for the G1 Eclipse S. where again the rain came and he was ultimately unable to see off Godolphin's Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) in that legendary 10-furlong prize.
What also happened at Sandown was that The Gurkha met interference on the home turn which impacted on his momentum and set him back, so it was in Ryan Moore's mind to gain a prominent pitch this time and shield him behind the one rival guaranteed to take him as far as he needed in Galileo Gold. Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) was placed on his outer to keep him in and with Frankie Dettori looking so comfortable on the Guineas hero up ahead it had the feel of another hard-luck story halfway up the straight. Moore sensed that Awtaad had already given best as the furlong pole approached and with the natural confidence of a brilliant jockey at the top of his game he edged his mount off the fence and only went for the whip when The Gurkha had Galileo Gold in competitive close range. Responding gamely to gain enough rope as James Doyle brought a real tune out of Ribchester to his left, the line came in time for him to add his name to a relentless succession of Ballydoyle group 1 winners.
Aidan O'Brien was keen to stress The Gurkha's inherent pace afterwards, with the winner lacking the proven 2-year-old profiles of his previous four winners. “He is very fast and all speed–Sandown just dragged him a bit,” he explained. “Ryan gave him a masterful ride and waited and waited–he knew exactly where he was at. We always thought he was one of those very quick Galileos, but we took a chance on Sandown's stiff mile and a quarter on soft ground and I was worried it had taken it out of him. From day one, he was a very strong traveller and he handles fast ground very well. He's very courageous, which is why he ran the race he did when we took him out of his comfort zone at Sandown. I do think he'll get a mile and a quarter if it's on quick ground on a fairly level track, but a mile is best. He's had such a big career crammed into a short time and it has been tough on him, but the lads were happy with him at home and said he was thriving. There are the mile races in France and the [G1] Champion S. [at Ascot Oct. 15], so he has a lot of options.”
Hugo Palmer reflected on another defeat for Galileo Gold, who had also gone under in the Irish 2000 Guineas, but took heart from the close finish. “I think there's nothing between them,” he said. “It shows that this generation is considerably ahead of the generation before them and I dare say there are more matches to savour. It's hard when you sit in front like that for so long, but noone else wanted to go on and in the long run it might have caught us out. Ryan slipstreamed us all way and Frankie said when he put his head in front it was too hard to get back. I actually thought The Gurkha was going to win better than he did, so it's a real tribute to the guts and talent of my horse that he stayed in there and finished as good a second as he did. We never shy away from a fight, but where that will be I don't know. There are four obvious races, the [G1 Prix] Jacques le Marois [at Deauville Aug. 14], which is quite soon, the [G1 Prix du] Moulin [at Chantilly Sept. 11], the [G1] Queen Elizabeth II [S. at Ascot Oct. 15] and the Breeders' Cup Mile. The great thing is that he has run up to his mark on much the fastest ground he's ever run on, so he's ticked that box as well and nothing holds any fears for us now. It will be nice not to have to do the donkey work for everyone else next time.”
Ribchester's trainer Richard Fahey said, “I was delighted with him. He's a horse with loads of pace and I just wish they'd gone a touch quicker on the day, but he's run a blinder. He's still a big baby in his mind and he's still learning. James [Doyle] had to switch his legs coming down the straight and in another four strides he would have won. At least he's progressing the right way and we feel he's improved a lot. Things are going to get better and better for him.”
The Gurkha's dam was not short on speed herself, winning the G3 CL Weld Park S. as a 2-year-old and she passed that pace on to another product of Galileo in the TDN Rising Star Queen Nefertiti (Ire) who was third in last year's G3 Brownstown S. They descend from the outstanding producer Brooklyn's Dance, responsible for the shock G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}) and the G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Prospect Park (GB) (Sadler's Wells), among others. Also featuring in this Wertheimer-influenced family is the 2012 G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and 2013 G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) and the G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Juddmonte International hero and subsequent sire Authorized (Ire), who sits under the fourth dam Vallee Dansante (Lyphard). She is a half to the leading sire Green Dancer and fellow sire Val Danseur, as well as Soviet Lad and Sir Raleigh. The Gurkha has a yearling full-sister to come.
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