THERE is a double-digit tally of stallion sons of Galileo (by Sadler’s Wells) who have sired at least one flat Group/Grade 1 winner, and as The Gurkha comes from a family that has previously produced successful sires, there is every reason to hope that he can add his name to the list.
Yearlings from his first crop will be on offer later in the year, and his first foals fetched up to €65,000 in 2018. He did not begin his career until early April of his three-year-old season, but that certainly does not mean that he won’t get plenty who win as juveniles, and it would be no surprise to see him get some talented two-year-olds over seven furlongs and farther.
He ran away with a mile maiden at Navan on his second start and followed that with a wide-margin victory in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) at Deauville. He then chased home 2000 Guineas star Galileo Gold in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes, failed by just a half-length to beat Hawkbill in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, and then defeated his old classic-winning rival by a neck in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
The Gurkha’s racing career spanned just four months, but as a classic-winning dual Group 1 star whom Timeform rated 127, he made quite an impression in that short time.
He is a full-brother to the pattern-placed Queen Nefertiti and out of Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes winner Chintz (by Danehill Dancer). His dam is a half-sister to the dam of classic and multiple Group 1-placed New Zealand-bred stakes winner Savile Row (by Makfi), and his grandam is Gold Dodger (by Slew O’ Gold), a stakes-winning half-sister to the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Solemia (by Poliglote).
That French champion is a three-parts sister to the Group 1-placed, pattern-winning full-brothers Prospect Wells (by Sadler’s Wells) and Prospect Park, and her half-sisters include Brooklyn’s Storm (by Storm Cat). What makes that mare significant is that she is the dam of last year’s Group 3 Prix de Royaumont scorer Pollara (by Camelot) and also of Stormina (by Gulch), the Group 2-placed, multiple stakes-winning dam of Silasol (by Monsun).
The latter was the joint-champion juvenile filly in France in 2012 when she won the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac, and she went on to win the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary at three as well as taking third place in the Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks).
Third dam Brooklyn’s Dance (by Shirley Heights) is a pattern-winning half-sister to the dam of Derby hero and Group 1 sire Authorized (by Montjeu), and like The Gurkha, he represents the Sadler’s Wells (by Northern Dancer) line.
If you go back farther, then you will find the Group 1-stars and notable stallions Green Dancer (by Nijinsky), Alhaarth (by Unfuwain), and Makfi (by Dubawi). They are remote to The Gurkha but illustrate the sire potential in his pedigree.
THE GURKHA (IRE). Jt Champion 3yr old miler in Europe in 2016. Won three races, £996,216, over 1 mile, at 3 years including, Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Deauville, Gr.1, Qatar Sussex Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.1, also placed second in Coral Eclipse Stakes, Sandown Park, Gr.1, St James’s Palace Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1.
Retired to Stud in 2017, first crop now yearlings.
Stands at: Coolmore Stud, Fethard, Co Tipperary, Ireland.
Contact: Christy Grassick, David O’Loughlin, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Tim Corballis, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Neil Magee, Tom Miller, or Jason Walsh
Telephone: +353 52 6131298
Email: sales@coolmore.ie
Web: www.coolmore.com
Fee: €17,500