GOLD PROSPECTED
Under-rated in the betting but expertly ridden by Frankie Dettori, Al Shaqab's Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) came out on top of the triumvirate of 2000 Guineas winners in a memorable showdown for Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. on Tuesday. Sent off what can only be seen as an insulting 6-1 in hindsight, the Apr. 30 G1 2000 Guineas hero had a perfect bullseye to aim at in the Godolphin pacemaker Cymric (Kitten's Joy) and after moving ahead of him passing the quarter pole had valuable first run on his fellow Classic-winning adversaries Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Staying on strongly as he had at Newmarket, the chestnut who had been second in the Irish equivalent May 21 gained a 1 1/4-length success over the heavily-supported 4-5 favourite The Gurkha, who was slightly unlucky in his run before grinding past Awtaad close home to gain the runner's-up spot by a half length. “Everything fell into plan and I got first run on the other two,” Frankie said. “Hugo [Palmer] was ultra-nervous today, but the horse redeemed himself here. We had a few excuses in Ireland, but there was nowhere to hide today.” Palmer added, “Newmarket's 2000 Guineas normally is the best group 1 of the year and we had to hold that up having been beaten in Ireland. He got the most magnificent ride and it's fair to say he is the best 3-year-old colt in Europe.”
Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
ST JAMES'S PALACE S.-G1, £400,000, ASC, 6-14, 3yo, c, 8fT, 1:44.01, sf.
1–GALILEO GOLD (GB), 126, c, 3, by Paco Boy (Ire)
1st Dam: Galicuix (GB), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Clizia (Ire), by Machiavellian
3rd Dam: Cuixmala, by Highest Honor (Fr)
(7,500gns RNA Wlg '13 TATFOA; €33,000 Ylg '14 TISEP). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Brian O'Rourke (GB); T-Hugo Palmer; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £226,840. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr & Ire, 8-5-2-1, $1,039,257. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–The Gurkha (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Chintz (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Chintz Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £86,000.
3–Awtaad (Ire), 126, c, 3, Cape Cross (Ire)–Asheerah (GB), by Shamardal. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Kevin Prendergast. £43,040.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 5. Odds: 6.00, 0.80, 2.50.
Also Ran: Cymric, Emotionless (Ire), First Selection (Spa), Ehtiraas (GB). Scratched: Zonderland (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
One of the better juveniles of 2015 without lighting too many fires, Galileo Gold had won one of the main British staging posts en route to the 2000 Guineas when getting up close home in the G2 Vintage S. at Goodwood in July before finishing third in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere over a mile at Longchamp in October. Ridden positively to defeat Massaat (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) by 1 1/2 lengths in the Newmarket Classic, he was no longer a bit-player on the major scene but in light of the flop of Air Force Blue (War Front) there remained a question mark over the substance of the form. Running into trouble but clearly only second-best when turned over by Awtaad in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh three weeks later, he was quickly cast aside in the punters's affections especially after the impressive display of The Gurkha at Deauville. While the Newmarket Guineas winners Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), Frankel (GB), Henrythenavigator and Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) all prevailed here in recent times, none traded at bigger than 5-4 so it was one of the vagaries of this race that Galileo Gold was such an inflated price.
Drawn wide, Dettori had little option than to commit forward as he had at HQ and with Cymric putting on the pace his partner quickly settled into a formidable rhythm. With the ace pace-judge Ryan Moore sitting out the back along with Awtaad's rider Chris Hayes, the suggestion was that the tempo was strong and instead of folding late after chasing it closely Galileo Gold kept giving generously. The Gurkha was shut in temporarily in mid-straight, but it was probably not enough of a hold-up to cost him the race with the winner possibly looking for company in the clear.
Hugo Palmer said of the July 27 G1 Sussex S.-bound hero, “It was a tough challenge, but he's the 2000 Guineas winner and everyone knows there isn't a better pilot round here than Frankie.” Aidan O'Brien said of The Gurkha, “He ran very well. He travelled well and quickened well. Frankie got a good position up front with no interference. We're looking forward to running our horse next time. He can step up in trip if he wants–I don't think he needs to–but we'll see.” Kevin Prendergast said of Awtaad, “He ran a good race, but it wasn't his day and the best horse won. We'll have another day. I've nothing in mind for him, really. We'll get him home, talk to the boss and see what he wants to do.”
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