THERE was much discussion in the aftermath of Galileo’s passing that Coolmore faced an intriguing window of uncertainty with who would step up to the plate and take over primary covering duties for the outfit’s number-one mares.

As it turned out, Wootton Bassett’s sensational versatility and outstanding string of results settled any debates pretty quickly, but, all of a sudden, we are back in a similar position again after his untimely passing last month.

What direction will Coolmore lean into when it comes to their next mating plans? Some of their most important decisions in years lie in store this coming season, when they are without a proven, clear and obvious standout replacement for their top slot that was held by Wootton Bassett.

Of course, there is potential in a number of the outcross sires for Coolmore’s sublime band of Galileo mares, but could a case be made for Starspangledbanner to get a little more love in the next breeding season after his exploits in 2025?

Standing at €45,000 this year, he has continued to have success when mating with daughters of Galileo - last week’s Group 1 Fillies’ Mile heroine Precise the perfect example of that. She excelled when stepping up another furlong from the seven over which she won the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes over last month. From 24 runners on this cross, as per the Racing Post database, 18 have won.

These include Godolphin’s 450,000gns purchase Avicenna, who made it two wins from two starts in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster last month (Timeform 102+). He could be very high class indeed. Group 3 Anglesey Stakes winner Suzie Songs (Timeform 100) is another prominent winner for this mixture in 2025, also finishing second in the Group 2 Debutante.

Fozzy Stack has had plenty of success with the Starspangledbanner-Galileo mix. Bubbles On Ice finished fourth in the 2020 Moyglare Stakes (Timeform 102), this season’s winner of the Listed Abergwaun Stakes for the stable, Grande Marques (Timeform 105), shares the same cross, Bodhi Bear reached a Timeform mark of 95+ and finished fourth in a Group 3 sprint at Naas earlier this season, while former stablemate Aussie Girl (Timeform 102) was another winner in listed company. Two Stars isn’t out of a Galileo mare, but is another son of Starspangledbanner winning at listed level for the Stack team this year.

Stakes success

Joseph O’Brien captured the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown last autumn with Sigh No More on the Starspangledbanner-Galileo cross, and the stable had another blacktype performer in recent years fitting the same criteria in Group 3 Anglesey Stakes third Hadman, who reached a mark of 99.

Paddy Twomey won a Tipperary maiden first time out this season with Pharos Freedom on his only start (Timeform 90+), Donnacha O’Brien’s Kensington Lane is rated 92 after bolting up in a maiden by five lengths last month, and juvenile Slaudeen is up to a mark of 92 also after a Navan win last month for Jessica Harrington. All are by Starspangledbanner and out of Galileo mares.

In total, from 24 horses on this cross to have made the track in Britain/Ireland, the average Racing Post Rating (RPR) of these is 87 (median an even better 91). Nearly 30 percent reached an RPR of 98 or above. Smart shooting.

While Royal Ascot winner Gstaad is out of an Exceed And Excel mare, so isn’t one for the Galileo-mare case study, he did nearly pull off a notable Group 1 double for Ballydoyle and Starspangledbanner at Newmarket last weekend when runner-up to Gewan in the Dewhurst Stakes. That was his third consecutive straight top-level second place.

There are certainly other options for Coolmore to put their weight behind in terms of stallion prospects for their Galileo mares - including this weekend’s Champion Stakes hope Delacroix (by Dubawi). At 19 years old, however, Starspangledbanner has put his hand up to possibly be factored into the mix after a strong season. As Precise has proven, he isn’t one to solely operate at the shorter end of the distance spectrum with his stock either.

HAVING finished seventh and fifth in the last two seasons’ training standings, Johnny Murtagh’s team can look back on the 2025 campaign with real positivity, as they currently sit in third heading into the closing weeks of the season.

Four winners in the past week (before last night’s action at Dundalk) have put the former champion jockey on a tally of 53 for the current turf campaign in Ireland. That is well clear of his previous best of 45 in 2024.

One of the real feathers in Murtagh’s cap this year has been Onemoredance - a revelation since winning off her opening mark of 58 at Tipperary in April. That was the first of five victories for the well-bought €32,000 yearling this season, culminating in a victory in last Sunday’s Listed Garnet Stakes at Naas. She’s now up to a new high mark of 99.

Quality is gradually building within Murtagh’s team, with nine Curragh winners in 2025 and 10 at Leopardstown. Among those were an Irish Champions Festival treble, while Zahrann managed to capture the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes and Listed King George V Cup earlier in the campaign. Floresta kept up the flow of blacktype winners in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes, as did Chicago Critic in the Listed Amethyst Stakes.

It would be a fitting end to the year if Alakazi could strike in today’s QEII at Ascot. Regardless, it’s been a year to remember for a clearly progressive team.

Only Aidan and Joseph O’Brien have trained more Irish winners this season.