THERE is a double-digit list of stallion sons of Galileo (by Sadler’s Wells) who have sired at least one Group/Grade 1 winner. It is odds-on that Gustav Klimt will add his name to that list.
Some of those horses have achieved the feat only in the southern hemisphere, but the most successful members include Frankel, New Approach, and Teofilo. Each is well-established as a leading sire in Europe, in addition to having one or more top-level winners on other continents. Time will tell if Gustav Klimt can become as successful as that trio, but with his combination of race record and pedigree, there is every reason to hope that he can become a sire of note.
Many breeders prize two-year-old talent and Gustav Klimt was an eye-catching Group 2 winner at that age. He was also a leading performer at three, winning a listed contest at Leopardstown and earning placings in each of the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Sprint Cup Stakes, and Prix Jean Prat – all Group 1s. This record places him well among the mile sons of Galileo and shows that he got the ‘speed gene’ from his dam.
Massarra (by Danehill) was a listed winner at two and was runner-up in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin, and her 10 successful offspring include the two-year-old Italian Group 1 scorer Nayarra (by Cape Cross), Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes winner Wonderfully (by Galileo), and listed juvenile sprint winner Cuff (by Galileo).
She is a daughter of Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) heroine Rafha (by Kris), and that makes her a full-sister to significant sire Kodiac as well as being a half-sister to leading international sire Invincible Spirit (by Green Desert).
Kodiac was only Group 3-placed in his racing days, but when the Group 1 star Tiggy Wiggy emerged from his early runners, his popularity soared.
His stock has been in strong demand in the auction ring for several years, and in 2018 he added two more Group 1 winners to his tally, Best Solution and Fairyland.
Invincible Spirit, on the other hand, was a Group 1-winning sprinter who became champion freshman sire before going on to establish himself among the most influential stallions in Europe. In 2018, he notched up his 16th individual Group 1 winner when Eqtidaar landed the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and then added two more, the two-year-olds Magna Grecia and Royal Meeting.
His prior Group 1 winners include classic winner and classic sire Lawman, and his sons at stud also feature the outstanding young Australian stallion I Am Invincible.
Rafha’s half-sister Chiang Mai (by Sadler’s Wells) is the Group 2-winning dam of Group 1 star Chinese White (by Dalakhani), and those who appear under branches of third dam Eljazzi (by Artaius) include young sires Pride Of Dubai (by Street Cry), James Garfield (by Exceed And Excel), and Master Carpenter (by Mastercraftsman).
Gustav Klimt is an exciting prospect whose fee looks excellent value in his first season.
GUSTAV KLIMT (IRE). Won three races, £391,233, over 7 furlongs, at 2 and 3 years including, bet365 Superlative Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2, Ballylinch 2000 Guineas Trial Stakes, Leopardstown, L, also placed second in St James’s Palace Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, and third in 32Red Sprint Cup Stakes, Haydock Park, Gr.1, Prix Jean Prat, Deauville, Gr.1, Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, Curragh, Gr.1.
Retires to Stud in 2019
Stands at: Castlehyde Stud, Fermoy, Co Cork, Ireland.
Contact: David Magnier, Tom Gaffney, Joe Hernon, John Kennedy, Cathal Murphy
Telephone: +353 (0)25 2531966
Email: info@castlehyde.com
Web: www.coolmore.com
Fee: €7,500