IN pursuit of a new record number of Group or Grade 1 wins in a calendar year, beating one set by himself in 2017, Aidan O’Brien is relying on the input of old friends, and none more so than Galileo (Sadler’s Wells).

The Ballydoyle master took his tally to 18 with Delacroix (Dubawi), Precise (Starspangledbanner) and Scandinavia (Justify) at the weekend, and the latter two are out of daughters of the champion sire. Galileo mares were also responsible for Group 1 winner Al Riffa (Wootton Basset), Group 2 juvenile winner Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett), while sons of Galileo got in on the act, Teofilo’s listed-winning daughter Livia’s Dream getting the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes winner Santorini Star (Golden Horn), and a Frankel mare producing the French Group 3 two-year-old winner Nighttime (Wootton Bassett).