TRANSATLANTIC DOUBLE FOR GALILEO
Coolmore Stud's prolific champion sire Galileo (by Sadler's Wells) added two more top-level winners to his tally last weekend, bringing his total of Group/Grade 1 scorers to 58. Both are trained by Aidan O'Brien.
Alice Springs set a new course record in the Group 1 Tattersalls 250th Year Falmouth Stakes (British Champions Series) over a mile at Newmarket the day before Deauville held on for victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes over 10 furlongs at Belmont Park.
The filly was bred by Lynch-Bages & Longfield Stud, she is the best of three blacktype earners out of stakes-placed Aleagueoftheirown (by Danehill Dancer), and her dam is out of a full-sister to Golden Opinion (by Slew O' Gold), the classic-placed mile Group 1 star who failed narrowly to beat Cadeaux Genereux in the Group 1 July Cup.
Deauville, the 12th top-level Galileo-sired winner out of a Danehill (by Danzig) mare, was bred by his part-owner Mrs Fitri Hay. The son of Walklikeanegyptian is a full-brother to the tragically ill-fated pattern scorer The Corsican, and he comes from the family of the Group 1 stars Desert King (by Danehill) and Maroof (by Danzig), both of whom sired a string of Group 1 winners at stud.
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IMPORTANT FIRST FOR SEA THE STARS
Gilltown Stud stallion Sea The Stars (by Cape Cross) added a new Group 1 star and new Group 2 winner to his tally last weekend, but what was especially notable about the pair is the distance over which they achieved the feat.
Well-proven as a sire of top-class middle-distance horses, Zelzal and Mutakayyef are his first major winners over a mile.
Zelzal's only defeat in five starts is his disappointing effort in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, which was his turf debut. The dual pattern winner broke the track record in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday.
Al Shaqab Racing's Jean-Claude Rouget-trained colt was bred by Viktor Timoshenko, he is out of Olga Prekrasa (by Kingmambo) and the talented horses in his immediate family include the classic-placed mile Group 1 winner Crystal Music (by Nureyev).
Cheveley Park Stud bred Mutakayyef and the William Haggas-trained gelding and Group 2 Fred Cowley MBC Memorial Summer Mile Stakes winner is out of the Group 1-placed pattern scorer Infallible (by Pivotal).
His Stewards' Cup-winning half-brother Intrinsic (by Oasis Dream) has completed his first season at Hedgeholme Stud, and his dam is a three-parts sister to the dam of Group 1 sprint star and young Cheveley Park Stud stallion Garswood (by Dutch Art), who had his first foals this year.
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GROUP 1 FIRST FOR AIR CHIEF MARSHAL
Haras de la Cauviniere stallion Air Chief Marshal (by Danehill Dancer), who was a Group 1-placed pattern scorer as a racehorse, got his first winner at the highest level when Mont Ormel sprang a surprise in the Group 1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris over 12 furlongs at Saint-Cloud on Thursday evening.
The Pia Brandt-trained three-year-old, who won a 10-furlong listed contest on his previous start, was bred by Franklin Finance S.A. and he represents his sire's second crop. He is out of Lidana (by King's Best), who is a winning half-sister to eight and 10-furlong Group 1 scorer Linngari (by Indian Ridge).
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BLACKTYPE DOUBLE FOR DALAKHANI
Former Gilltown Stud stallion Dalakhani (by Darshaan), who has completed his first season at Haras de Bonneval in France, had a blacktype double at Saint-Cloud on Thursday evening.
Golden Valentine won the Listed Prix de Thiberville over 12 furlongs and then Candarliya won the Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil over a quarter-mile farther.
The former is trained by Freddy Head, was bred by Foxwood Stables, and she is out of Group 3 winner Gold Round (by Caerleon), which makes her a full-sister to pattern scorer Goldwaki and from the immediate family of the Group 1 stars Goldikova (by Anabaa) and Galikova (by Galileo).
The Aga Khan's homebred filly Candarliya is a year older and the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained four-year-old is out of Candara (by Barathea), which makes her related to the Group 2-winning miler Wixim (by Diesis).
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ACCLAMATION'S GOOD YEAR
Rathbarry Stud stallion Acclamation (by Royal Applause), the horse whose sire sons feature Dark Angel, Equiano and current freshman Harbour Watch, is having another good year with his blacktype runners.
Attendu won the Group 3 Prix du Palais Royal last month, Mehmas won the Group 2 July Stakes last Thursday, and then he had a big double at the weekend.
Elite Racing Club's homebred Marsha is under consideration for the Group 2 King George Stakes and Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes after her win in the Listed John Smith's City Walls Stakes at York on Saturday.
The Sir Mark Prescott-trained three-year-old, a dual blacktype scorer, is out of Marlinka (by Marju), a stakes winning three-parts sister to multiple Group 1 mile star Soviet Song (by Marju).
On Sunday, it was the turn of Group 1-placed stakes winner Queen Catrine, who upgraded her description to that of pattern winner following victory in the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Brownstown Stakes over seven furlongs at Fairyhouse.
The Ger Lyons-trained five-year-old was bred by Mount Coote Stud, she is out of Kahira (by King's Best), who is a half-sister to Group 1-winning sprinter Tamarisk (by Green Desert), and she comes from a branch of the family of Group 1 superstars such as Triptych (by Riverman), Treve (by Motivator) and Generous (by Caerleon).
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GROUP 1 FOR TAGULA
Limato, the Henry Candy-trained son of Rathbarry Stud stallion Tagula (by Taufan), won the Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday, giving his sire a second winner at the highest level; classic-winning miler Canford Cliffs was his first.
Bred by Seamus Phelan, he is the second foal out of Come April (by Singspiel), his grandam is a half-sister to the Group 1 stars Summoner (by Inchinor) and Compton Admiral (by Suave Dancer), and I reviewed his pedigree in detail here in the 19th September 2015 edition of The Irish Field.
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BUSHRANGER'S BIG YEAR CONTINUES
Juvenile Group 1 star Bushranger (by Danetime) was very popular in his early years at stud, and a hit in the sales ring, but although his early runners were winning there was a distinct lack of success for them in stakes company.
He left Tally-Ho Stud, moved to Turkey, and then, in another example of Murphy's Law of Thoroughbred Breeding, along came the string of notable runners.
In 2016, Mobsta has won the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes, Now Or Never is a classic-placed Group 3 winner, Ross Castle won a Group 3 sprint in France, Outback Traveller took the Wokingham (no blacktype there) at Royal Ascot, and listed scorer Ridge Ranger went one better with victory in the Group 3 188Bet Summer Stakes at York last Friday.
That Eric Alston-trained mare is owned and bred by Con Harrington, she is out of Dani Ridge (by Indian Ridge) and so is a half-sister to Group 1 star and future Darley stallion Profitable (by Invincible Spirit). He finished fourth in the Group 1 July Cup on Saturday, his first attempt at six furlongs.
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NATHANIEL OFF THE MARK WITH A DOUBLE
Newsells Park Stud's middle-distance Group 1 star Nathaniel (by Galileo) got off the mark when Paulownia won over seven furlongs at Ascot on Saturday and made it a double when Ronald R won over the same trip at Yarmouth on Wednesday evening.
Paulownia was bred by Woodcote Stud Ltd, she is trained by Richard Hannon and she is out of Petite Nymphe (by Golan), a 15-furlong winning half-sister to Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) and Group 1 Prix de la Foret heroine Danseuse Du Soir (by Thatching).
Ronald R, a 130,000gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale graduate bred by M Morrissey, is trained by Michael Bell and descends from the great Allez France (by Sea Bird II).
Group 3-placed Queen Kindly (by Frankel) is her sire's first dual winner. The daughter of Group 2-winning sprinter Lady Of The Desert (by Rahy) cruised home at long odds-on over five furlongs at Catterick on Wednesday.
Frankel's (by Galileo) son Cunco just missed out on Group 2 placing when fourth behind Boynton in the Bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.
Gilltown Stud's Born To Sea (by Invincible Spirit), the classic-placed half-brother to Galileo and Sea The Stars, got his first Irish winner when the John Oxx-trained Sea Of Grace won over seven and a half furlongs at Tipperary.
Bred by Robert Norton, the €260,000 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale graduate is out of Lady Dettoria (by Vettori) and her third dam is the middle-distance Group 1 scorer Mariella (by Sir Gaylord).
The Ballykilbride Stud-bred gelding Pleaseletmewin (by Power), whose grandam is a half-sister to classic and juvenile star Celtic Swing (by Damister), made it two from four with victory in a seven furlong Newmarket nursery.
Harbour Watch (by Acclamation) struck on Monday with Windsor scorer Tis Marvellous, a grandson of Group 3 Queen Mary Stakes heroine Romantic Myth (by Mind Games), and Balgair (by Foxwedge) sprang a 20/1 surprise over seven furlongs on his debut at Sandown.
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DARLEY FRESHMEN
Several freshman members of the Darley stallion team had recent winners.
Dabyah (by Sepoy), a grand-daughter of Group 1-placed pattern scorer Cloud Castle (by In The Wings), comes from the immediate family of Group 1 stars Luso (by Salse) and Warrsan (by Caerleon), and she made a winning debut over seven furlongs at Newmarket.
Godolphin's 210,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up buy Timeless Flight (by Helmet), whose first two dams are minor US listed race winners, scored over six furlongs at York.
Then the Ger Lyons-trained Noivado (by Casamento) won over six at Fairyhouse. His dam is a half-sister to mile Group 1 scorer Chachamaidee (by Footstepsinthesand).