Two weeks removed from his death at age 23, Galileo (Ire)'s influence was keenly felt in Europe's feature races this weekend. At Ascot, Adayar (GB)-by Galileo's greatest son Frankel (GB)-became the first horse to do the Derby/King George double since Galileo himself accomplished the feat 20 years ago. On the same card, Godolphin's €260,000 Arqana Select purchase New Science (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) stamped himself a 2-year-old to watch with victory in the Listed Pat Eddery S. He is out of a Galileo mare. Up North at York, horses...
It looked straightforward on paper for Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) ahead of Thursday's G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S. and that was the case as the full-brother to Broome (Ire) justified 1-8 favouritism in Leopardstown's juvenile pointer. Racing in second early after a slightly tardy start, the June 19 Listed Chesham S. winner took control two out and stayed on strongly to register a three-length verdict over Maritime Wings (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}). "He got a lead today, which was nice as in his last two...
Joseph O'Brien trainee Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) was winless in four prior outings and went postward for Thursday evening's G3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown as an almost unconsidered 16-1 outsider coming back off a two-length second to the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) tackling this seven-furlong strip at the Foxrock venue earlier in the month. The February-foaled bay had placed behind decent sorts in all races contested to date, including a third to the reopposing G3 Albany S. fourth Prettiest (Dubawi {Ire}) in...
Mark Dobbin's Ladies Church (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) registered a June 9 debut fourth at Cork, behind the reopposing Impeachd Alexander (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), and followed up a June 30 breakthrough score over five furlongs at Tipperary with an impressive display tackling the same trip in Wednesday's Listed Arqana Irish EBF Marwell S. at Naas, becoming the first stakes winner for her freshman sire (by Galileo {Ire}). The 3-1 second favourite was restrained to race in an overall third as British raider Sophie's Star (GB) (Cotai Glory {GB}) blazed a solo...
Enjoying a step back to seven furlongs for the first time, Ballydoyle's GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) made all to get back on track in Sunday's G2 Romanised Minstrel S. at The Curragh. Eighth on his return in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne S. June 15, the 2-1 favourite was always comfortable using his stride in front and Ryan Moore's body language told all as he easily held off Njord (Ire) (Roderic O'Connor {Ire}) to score by 1 1/4 lengths. "His first run this...
G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and GI Arlington Million winner Powerscourt (GB) (Sadler's Wells-Rainbow Lake {GB}, by Rainbow Quest) has died age 21 at the Jockey Club of Turkey after suffering a heart attack. Bred by Juddmonte Farms out of its G3 Lancashire Oaks winner Rainbow Lake, Powerscourt's pedigree gained further pomp after his racing career was over when his half-sister Kind (Ire) (Danehill) produced the great Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and three-time Group 1 winner Noble Mission (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Another half-sister, Riposte (GB) (Dansili {GB}), won a trio of...
It was a mere 8 1/2-length margin on Saturday as Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) read the script to become the 15th filly to follow up her G1 Epsom Oaks success in The Curragh's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks. Always travelling comfortably in fourth under Ryan Moore, the 2-7 favourite coasted to the lead two out and powered clear in now-customary fashion to put safe distance between her and stablemate Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with Nicest (Ire) (American Pharoah) half a length back in third. While there was no repeat of...
Last year's GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint scorer Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) is on course for either the G1 Nunthorpe S. on Aug. 20 or the G1 Flying Five S. at The Curragh on Sept. 12 after an eye-catching seasonal debut in Thursday's GIII Quick Call S. at Saratoga for trainer Wesley Ward. It was Golden Pal's first start for the Coolmore partners and Westerberg since being purchased privately from breeder Randall Lowe. "[The Quick Call] was five and a half [furlongs], and the competition wasn't at the same...
Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), off since a front-running tally in last year's GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland, returned as sharp as ever to dominate the GIII Quick Call S. on Saratoga's opening day card Thursday. Pounded down to 1-5 favoritism while making his first start since being acquired privately by the Coolmore partners and Georg von Opel's Westerberg from his breeder Randall Lowe, the bay looked like a winner every step of the way, clicking off splits of :21.92 and :44.88 without much company and cruising away...
By now you've read some of the many excellent remembrances and obituaries of Galileo (Ire), who was euthanized at Coolmore on Saturday at age 23. Any way you look at it, the son of Sadler's Wells was one of the greatest stallions of all time, as were his sire and and grandsire Northern Dancer. This dynastic sequence is now in its fourth generation with Galileo's outstanding son Frankel (GB), who is well on his way to matching the iconic status he achieved on the racetrack as a stallion, and history...
'TDN Rising Star' Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the beaten G1 Cazoo Epsom Derby favorite, paid fitting tribute to his late superstar sire with a 1 1/4-length success over Tokyo Gold (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) in Saturday's GI Belmont Derby Invitational. The Coolmore connections and trainer Aidan O'Brien also delivered with Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational on the undercard. The even-money favorite, drawn on the inside in post two, raced in seventh around the clubhouse turn and began to creep closer while racing in between...
Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) worked through traffic late to break through in her fourth straight attempt at the highest level and complete the first half of the GI Belmont Oaks/GI Belmont Derby double for the Coolmore contingent Saturday. Deemed a 'TDN Rising Star' off a 2 1/2-length debut success at The Curragh last September, the buzzed-about bay could only manage fourth in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 2 and again in the G1 Cazoo Oaks at Epsom June 4--both as the favorite. She was most recently...
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