GALILEO HITS 70 GROUP 1 WINNERS
Coolmore Stud's great stallion Galileo (by Sadler's Wells) had four individual Group 1 winners last weekend and he notched up his 70th top-level scorer when two-year-old Clemmie took the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes in good style at Newmarket.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained bay was bred by Liberty Bloodstock, she is out of five-furlong listed scorer and Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes runner-up Meow (by Storm Cat) and so she is, of course, a full-sister to juvenile champion and dual classic hero Churchill.
Her grandam, Airwave (by Air Express), won the Cheveley Park Stakes in 2002, was placed in the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes, Group 1 July Cup and Group 1 Sprint Cup, and later added the Group 2 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes over a mile at the Curragh.
Earlier that morning, number 69 had arrived when Foundry won The Metropolitan, a 12-furlong Group 1 handicap at Randwick in Australia.
The Robert Hickmott-trained seven-year-old began his career with Aidan O'Brien, running three times. He chased home Telescope in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York and was fifth to Leading Light in the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster.
The gelding was bred by Smithfield Inc, he is out of Sharp Lisa (by Dixieland Band), and so is a full-brother to classic-placed Group 3 scorer and promising hurdler Housesofparliament.
His dam won the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes and she is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and blacktype sire Spring At Last (by Silver Deputy).
The pair who hit the target on Sunday were both prior Group 1 winners.
Happily, the two-year-old full-sister to classic stars Gleneagles and Marvellous, is out of Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes winner and blue hen mare You'resothrilling (by Storm Cat) – a full-sister to Group 1 star and multiple US champion sire Giant's Causeway.
She beat the boys in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Grand Criterium) over a mile.
Then Rhododendron, a full-sister to Magical – the Group 2 winner that Happily short-headed in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes – won the Prix de l'Opera Longines.
Both are trained by Aidan O'Brien, as is Hydrangea (by Galileo), who was the runner-up in that 10-furlong contest. Third place went to Galileo's granddaughter Lady Frankel (by Frankel).
Rhododendron is out of Group 1 star Halfway To Heaven (by Pivotal). That mare's siblings include Theann (by Rock Of Gibraltar) – the pattern-winning dam of US Grade 1 star Photo Call (by Galileo) – and she is out of the high-class sprinter Cassandra Go (by Indian Ridge).
Galileo also supplied both the third and fourth in the Group 1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe – Ulysses and Order Of St George – and he is the grandsire of Arc heroine Enable (by Nathaniel, by Galileo).
Arc runner-up Cloth Of Stars is a son of Galileo's half-brother Sea The Stars (by Cape Cross), which means that descendants of the Arc heroine and phenomenal broodmare Urban Sea (by Miswaki) filled the first four places in Europe's top race.
Galileo's tally of 70 Group 1 winners is three short of that achieved by his great sire Sadler's Wells (by Northern Dancer) and 13 short of the remarkable total of 83 top-level winners sired by another former Coolmore great – Danehill (by Danzig).
Of course, the latter benefitted from shuttling to Australia, where he was many times champion sire, whereas Sadler's Wells never left home.
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NEW GROUP 1 WINNER FOR TEOFILO
Kildangan Stud stallion Teofilo added to his Group 1 tally when Happy Clapper justified favouritism in the TAB Epsom Handicap over a mile at Randwick, in Australia, on Saturday.
Michael Thomas's homebred gelding is the 14th individual top-level winner among a total of more than 70 blacktype scorers for his sire.
Previously a Group 2 winner who has twice chased home Winx in Group 1s, the Australian-bred seven-year-old is a half-brother to the multiple pattern-placed filly Gig (by Commands) and he is out of Busking (by Encosta De Lago).
She is a winning half-sister to Group 1-placed dual Group 3 scorer Thankgodyou'rehere (by Secret Savings) and to the prolific winner and six-figured earner Gunfire Messiah (by Bite The Bullet).
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DUBAWI GROUP 1 DOUBLE
Dalham Hall Stud's outstanding stallion Dubawi (by Dubai Millennium) brought his tally of top-level winners to 33 last weekend with an international double.
The first leg was provided by Mubtaahij in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes over nine furlongs on dirt at Santa Anita.
The five-year-old entire, who was bred in Ireland by Dunmore Stud Ltd, is trained now by Bob Baffert. He is out of Pennegale (by Pennekamp) and so is a half-brother to Group 1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Lily Of The Valley (by Galileo).
Then, around 12 hours later, Godolphin's homebred Wild Illusion gave her sire a second consecutive winner of the Group 1 Total Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches over the mile at Chantilly.
One of three top-level juvenile winners for Dubawi – the other filly is Wuheida, and Summerhill Stud stallion Willow Magic achieved the feat in South Africa in 2013 – the Charlie Appleby-trained half-sister to listed scorer Really Special (by Shamardal) is out of Rumh (by Monsun).
That mare is out of the smart Royal Dubai (by Dashing Blade) and so could be described as being a three-parts sister to Grade 1 scorer Royal Highness (by Monsun).
This is a branch of the famous family of Group 1 stars such as Electrocutionist (by Red Ransom), Arctique Royale (by Royal And Regal), and the brilliant Ardross (by Run The Gantlet).
Dubawi's recent winners also included Frontiersman who took the Listed Mukhadram Godolphin Stakes over 12 furlongs at Newmarket.
Godolphin's colt was bred by Stanley Estate and Stud Co, he is out of the prolific top-level star Ouija Board (by Cape Cross) and so is a half-brother to dual Derby hero Australia (by Galileo).
That young Coolmore sire has his first yearlings on offer now and they have made up to 525,000gns in Newmarket this week.
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LOPE DE VEGA LANDMARK
Ballylinch Stud stallion Lope De Vega (by Shamardal) was in the news again recently and his 30th stakes winner, Santa Ana Lane, also gave him a sixth individual Group 1 star.
The five-year-old gelding is trained by Anthony Freedman, he was bred by Patinack Farm in Australia, and he took the Keno Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, a Group 1 handicap, over seven furlongs at Caulfield on Sunday.
He is out of Fast Fleet (by Fastnet Rock), a winning mare from the family of Group/Grade 1 stars such as Sacahuista (by Raja Baba), Ekraar (by Red Ransom), Geri (by Theatrical), Raging Fever (by Storm Cat) and, much more remote, Levee (by Hill Prince), Shuvee (by Nashua), Spain (by Thunder Gulch) and Pleascach (by Teofilo).
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WAR FRONT'S EUROPEAN PROFILE CONTINUES TO GROW
The European profile of War Front (by Danzig), who stands at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, continues to grow and his recent run of success includes Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes success for U S Navy Flag and a Group 3 win for War Decree.
The former is a half-brother to US Grade 3 scorer Cover Song (by Fastnet Rock) and a full-brother to this year's dual mile star Roly Poly, and this talented trio are the first three foals out of four-time Group 1 heroine Misty For Me (by Galileo).
That top filly is, in turn, a full-sister to classic-placed juvenile Group 1 winner Ballydoyle and she is out of half-sister to juvenile Group 1 star and successful sire Fasliyev (by Nureyev).
Anne Campbell (by Never Bend), the fourth dam of U S Navy Flag, is the dam of US Grade 1 winners and blacktype sires Desert Wine (by Damascus) and Menifee (by Harlan).
The one who chased home U S Navy Flag was his stable companion Fleet Review, another son of War Front.
He is the first foal out of A Star is Born (by Galileo), a winning full-sister to Group 1 scorer and sire Rip Van Winkle.
War Decree, who beat Thunder Snow in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood last year, easily won the Group 3 Koffy Diamond Stakes over 10 and a half furlongs at Dundalk last Friday.
He is the second foal of Royal Decree (by Street Cry), his grandam is the US Grade 1 scorer Ticker Tape (by Royal Applause), and she is a half-sister to this year's Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Brando (by Pivotal) as well as to the dam of juvenile Group 1 star Reckless Abandon (by Exchange Rate).
This is a branch of the famous stallion-producing family of Royal Academy (by Nijinsky) and Storm Cat (by Storm Bird).
Elsewhere, War Front was represented last weekend by dual Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes heroine Avenge, a $650,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August Sale graduate whose grandam, Balinese (by Nijinsky), is a winning full-sister to US juvenile Grade 1 scorer Folk Art and to Mashaallah, whose three top-level wins included the Irish St Leger.
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DARK ANGEL DOUBLE
Yeomanstown Stud's Dark Angel (by Acclamation), whose brilliant son Battaash ran away with the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines at Chantilly on Sunday, added to his blacktype tally recently when Juliet Capulet narrowly beat Nyaleti in the Group 2 Shadwell Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket.
Cheveley Park Stud's juvenile is trained by John Gosden, she was bred by Yeomanstown Stud, and she is out of Capulet Monteque (by Camacho), which makes her a full-sister to the stakes-placed Juliette Fair.
Her dam is out of Family At War (by Explodent), which makes her a half-sister to the dams of the Group 1 sprint stars G Force (by Tamayuz) and Lethal Force (by Dark Angel).
Battaash, of course, was bred by Ballyphillip Stud, he is trained by Charlie Hills and carries the famous colours of Hamdan Al Maktoum.
The three-year-old gelding is out of Anna Law (by Lawman) and that half-sister to Group 2 scorer Etlaala (by Selirk) is also a half-sister to Bird Key (by Cadeaux Genereux), the dam of high-class sprinter Tasleet (by Showcasing).
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NEW GROUP 1 STAR FOR ACCLAMATION
Rathbarry Stud stallion Acclamation (by Royal Applause), whose Timeform 130-rated daughter Marsha chased home his Timeform 136-rated grandson Battaash (by Dark Angel) in the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines at Chantilly on Sunday, added to his Group 1 tally around 40 minutes later when Aclaim took the Qatar Prix de la Foret.
Victory in this seven-furlong contest followed the colt's recent Group 2 Park Stakes success at Doncaster which, in turn, came just over a month after he was runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.
The Martyn Meade-trained four-year-old was bred by Dermot Farrington and Canning Downs, he is out of Aris (by Danroad), and that granddaughter of Danehill (by Danzig) is a slightly closer than half-sister to Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Again (by Danehill Dancer).
As her dam, Cumbres (by Kahyasi), is a daughter of Floripedes (by Top Ville), this means that Aclaim comes from the immediate family of brilliant middle-distance runner and outstanding classic sire Montjeu (by Sadler's Wells).
With his sire and family connections, €130,000 Goffs Orby Sale graduate Aclaim will no doubt be very popular with breeders whenever he takes up stallion duties.
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ANOTHER OF NOTE FOR KITTEN'S JOY
There has been some speculation recently as to the future of Ramsey Farm's leading US sire Kitten's Joy (by El Prado), with several European studs reportedly interested in securing his services.
His 11 top-level winners include Coral-Eclipse Stakes scorer Hawkbill and Lanwades Stud stallion Bobby's Kitten, and his representatives in Europe also include Group 1-placed French Group 2 winner Taareef and Saturday's Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes winner Roaring Lion.
Qatar Racing Ltd's colt was bred by Ranjan Racing Inc, he is trained by John Gosden, and he is now unbeaten in three starts.
The $160,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate is the first foal out of Grade 1-placed Vionnet (by Street Sense), who is a half-sister to Grade 2 Royal Heroine Mile scorer Schiaparelli (by Ghostzapper) and to Grade 2 John C Mabee Stakes winner Moulin De Mougin (by Curlin) – both fillies.
Cambriocorsa (by Avenue Of Flags), the grandam of Roaring Lion, won two Grade 3 contests over six and a half furlongs, and is a full-sister to prolific Grade 3 sprint scorer California Flag, who also won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint before it got its current status.
Of course, Taareef was also among the winners last weekend, posting an odds-on success in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein over a mile at Chantilly.
Hamdan Al Maktoum's high-class four-year-old was bred by Dixiana Farms Llc and he is trained by Jean-Claude Rouget.
The $675,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate is out of Sacred Feather (by Carson City), who is a half-sister to Grade 3-winning miler Christine's Outlaw (by Wild Again) and out of Grade 3 scorer Marianna's Girl (by Dewan).
This is a branch of the family of Mutafaweq (by Silver Hawk) whose four Group 1 wins included the St Leger and Coronation Cup.
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PACO BOY'S TALENTED SON
Top-class miler Paco Boy (by Desert Style) was exported to Turkey during the summer but the sire of classic ace and new Tally-Ho Stud stallion Galileo Gold is also responsible for rising star Beat The Bank.
The Andrew Balding-trained gelding, who was bred by A.S. Denniff, beat Sir John Lavery by five lengths in the Group 2 Shadwell Joel Stakes at Newmarket and he may step up to Group 1 company before the end of the year.
The three-year-old is out of Tiana (by Diktat), he is a half-brother to the stakes-placed but ill-fated Salt Island (by Exceed And Excel), and his dam's siblings include Mary Read (by Bahamian Bounty), the stakes-placed grandam of Group 1-placed, pattern-winning sprinter Kachy (by Kyllachy).
Hill Welcome (by Most Welcome), the grandam of Beat The Bank, was a half-sister to Group 1 Middle Park Stakes scorer Stalker (by Kala Shikari).
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GROUP 1 FIRST FOR SEPOY
Dalham Hall Stud shuttle sire and Australian juvenile champion Sepoy (by Elusive Quality) notched up his first Group 1 winner when Alizee took the Flight Stakes over a mile at Randwick on Saturday.
Godolphin's Darley-bred three-year-old is trained by James Cummings, she is out of Essaouira (by Exceed And Excel), and that makes her a half-sister to seven-furlong Group 1 star Astern (by Medaglia d'Oro).
Her grandam, Alizes (by Rory's Jester), was a Group 2-winning sprinter, and third dam La Baraka (by Euclase), who was Group 1-placed at a mile, won the Group 1 The Galaxy over five and a half furlongs.
Triscay (by Marscay), the fourth dam of Alizee, was a multiple Group 1 star and dual champion whose progeny also included the Group 1-placed Group 2 scorer Tsuimai (by Thunder Gulch).
The European half of Sepoy's global first crop includes Group 2 German 1000 Guineas heroine Unforgetable Filly, Group 1-placed pattern winner Dabyah, Group 3 scorer Kilmah, and the Jessica Harrington-trained sprint stakes winner Khukri.
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SHOWCASING STRIKES WITH ENABLE RELATION
Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion Showcasing (by Oasis Dream), whose 19 stakes winners feature Group 1 sprint star Quiet Reflection, was also represented recently by Projected, the Juddmonte homebred who took the Grade 2 Baltimore / Washington International Turf Cup Stakes over a mile at Laurel Park on Saturday.
The five-year-old gelding is trained by Chad Brown, he is a half-brother to the pattern-placed Delivery (by Rail Link) and is out of Deliberate (by King's Best), who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 star Flintshire (by Dansili).
His grandam, Dance Routine (by Sadler's Wells), is a classic-placed Group 2-winning full-sister to Concentric, the stakes-winning dam of Sunday's impressive Group 1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable (by Nathaniel).