Galileo (Ire)

One way or another, plenty of people in our industry seem to think that it has reached a crossroads. But if a shutdown at the home of the Kentucky Derby makes us feel as though we can't get a break in the traffic, maybe we're just looking the wrong way. Because there's a chance that the real game-changing moment was happening 4,000 miles away, where the 244th running of the original Derby was last Saturday won by a horse excitingly equipped to open a new chapter in the story of...

At a time when so many people seem to be allowing a duty of vigilance to crumble into morbid defeatism, it seems a little unfair that our sport should be going through such a hard time even as we approach the 50th anniversary of the most luminous tour de force in the story of the modern breed. Of course, as some powerful evocations of the time have lately reminded us, Secretariat arrived as a sunbeam into a wider world darkened by Vietnam and civic unrest. And nor should we deceive...

It still seems hard to imagine, given how long he has been omnipresent in British racing, but Friday's G1 Betfred Oaks will mark the penultimate Epsom Classic experience in the saddle for Frankie Dettori. It may also prove his best chance of going out in a blaze of glory, as Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) looks the more likely of his Friday and Saturday mounts to conjure that soon-to-be-missed flying dismount. Carrying the "Sariska" silks of Lady Bamford, the homebred left no one in any doubt that she is a...

Eleven fillies will line up for Friday's G1 Betfred Oaks as Aidan O'Brien trimmed his numbers to three for the Epsom Classic including the certain favourite Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Other than the trio taken out by the Ballydoyle handler which include the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S. scorer Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the other notable withdrawal was Dance In The Grass (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) from the Charlie Johnston stable. Heading the opposition to the Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Savethelastdance, who as expected will have the assistance...

There was a time around three decades ago when Paul Cole's name was synonymous with the turf's leading lights left, right and centre around Europe. Over 30 years on from his last win in any of the British, Irish or French Classics, the Whatcombe Estate frontiersman who now runs his stable along with son Oliver has found one again. Not since the heady days of Generous (Ire) and co has the Berkshire stable been as electrified as it is at present thanks to Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and it...

Providing a boost to TDN Rising Star Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Westerberg's First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) mastered his peers in Thursday's G3 Prix Hocquart at ParisLongchamp. Runner-up to Pascal Bary's G1 Prix du Jockey Club-bound colt in the Prix de Ferrieres conditions event over just short of this 11-furlong trip at this track last month, the 9-2 shot was settled in third early under cover on the rail by Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. Getting a gap on the fence to storm to...

She may not necessarily be Oaks-bound, but Ballydoyle's Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) could be a major player at Royal Ascot nonetheless after beating TDN Rising Star Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) in Newbury's Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S. on Saturday. Showing battling qualities when off the mark over this 10-furlong trip at Leopardstown 13 days previously, the daughter of the triple group 1 winner Sea Siren (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) raced in a share of second early. Sent forward by Ryan Moore two out, the 5-2 second favourite...

George Strawbridge's 5-year-old mare Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Alive Alive Oh {GB}, by Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), seen out just once since 2021, was fit and raring to go for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' S. at York and collected a fourth straight pattern-race rosette with a narrow victory in the extended 10-furlong contest. The April-foaled bay, whose resume also features wins in the G3 Prix Minerve, G2 Park Hill S. and G2 Lancashire Oaks, was settled off a sedate pace in sixth until turning for home....

Group 1 winner Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), third in Leopardstown's G3 Derby Trial S., will cut back in trip for the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas in late May, trainer Donnacha O'Brien revealed on Tuesday. "I thought he travelled really well [at Leopardstown]," said O'Brien. "There's definitely a chance that he will get 10 furlongs and we could be going back there after the Guineas, but the plan is to go to the Curragh for the Irish Guineas." Raced by the Coolmore partners, the 2022 G1 Criterium International...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Higher Truth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GII Sheepshead Bay S. at Belmont Park on Friday.   Galileo Mare Queen Of The Bay Team Hanley, Jeff Drown and Mike Ryan's Higher Truth won the Sheepshead Bay for trainer Chad Brown (video). She was third in the 2021 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. Bred by Churchtown House Stud, the May foal brought 500,000gns from...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Daddys Lil Darling, by Scat Daddy) shed maiden status with a game frontrunning display over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown last month and stormed to the head of ante-post betting lists for Epsom's G1 Oaks after unleashing a spectacular performance in Wednesday's Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions Cheshire Oaks at Chester. The 8-11 favourite's only moment of worry came at the break, when hampered as the gates opened, and she was bustled along early to retain contact with the main cluster. Inching forward inside the last...

Former Coolmore partners' runner Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the 2020 G1 Derby at Epsom, ran out a three-quarter length winner of an Eagle Farm handicap for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott on Saturday and is targeting the G1 Melbourne Cup in November, according to co-trainer Gai Waterhouse. "Serpentine, the 2020 English Derby winner, greeted the judge in determined fashion at Eagle Farm today on his road to the Melbourne Cup," the First Lady of Australian Racing tweeted. Now racing for an ownership group, the chestnut gelding had placed...