Galileo (Ire)

Last weekend was an extraordinary one for the great Galileo (Ire). A world-best 85th Group 1 winner with Peaceful (Ire) in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas went along nicely with the top-level victories by his son Teofilo (Ire)'s unbeaten G1 Prix Saint Alary heroine Tawkeel (Ire), plus that of Sottsass (Fr)-out of Galileo mare Starlet's Sister (Ire)--in the G1 Prix Ganay. When the Danehill gelding Zipping became his sire's 84th Group 1 winner in the Australian Cup at Flemington on March 13, 2010, it seemed an unsurpassable record at the...

Royal Ascot's week-long Ryan Moore-Frankie Dettori battle was underway in some style early on Tuesday, with the former prevailing in a thrilling tussle on the 4-1 favourite Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Queen Anne S., a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland in November. Sent straight to the fore, last year's G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp hero was passed and apparently beaten by Terebellum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) as Frankie took charge 1...

First Love, now Peaceful. In another alarming week in world events, we could all use a little of both, but they are of course the two latest Classic winners for their peerless sire Galileo (Ire). When winning the Moyglare Stud S. last September, Love (Ire), now also the 1000 Guineas winner, sparked a Group 1 double on Irish Champions Weekend which was completed by the Irish St Leger winner Search For A Song (Ire). By November, Galileo had drawn level with Danehill's record on 84 individual Group 1 winners thanks...

And still the arrow holds its course: that perfect blaze, tapered down from the fletching between his eyes until opening into the neatly pointed tip above his nostrils. His whole life has seemed to obey the inexorable momentum implied in that warpaint. Ever onwards, ever upwards. Sure enough, with perhaps the most telling of all his records secured outright by his daughter Peaceful (Ire) in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas on Saturday, Galileo (Ire) maintains his unwavering trajectory even into the evening of his career. With another spring of...

The Curragh's Saturday card was run on real Galileo (Ire) ground and so it was with a degree of predictability that his sole representative in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas Peaceful (Ire) relished the fast going to bring up a second fillies' Classic in less than a week for Ballydoyle. It proved a momentous renewal for Michael Tabor, who saw the first three home carry his silks, for the supersire who was surpassing Danehill with a record 85th group 1 winner, and also for the O'Brien family with Aidan,...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Insights features a €3.2-million Goffs Orby sale-topping full-sister to two Group 1 winners. 1.25 Chantilly, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT BONNE IDEE (GB) (Frankel {GB}) created a big impression for the Andre Fabre stable when winning a Lyon-Parilly maiden last month and takes the next step towards...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features the fifth foal of the well-bred Group 1 winner Nayarra. 1.40 Doncaster, Novice, £5,400, 2yo, 7f 6yT SEVENTH KINGDOM (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is the fifth foal out of Prince Faisal's G1 Gran Criterium winner Nayarra (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who is in turn a half-sister to...

There's been almost no getting away from You'resothrilling (Storm Cat) when it comes to the Irish Guineas in recent years. The sister to Giant's Causeway has conducted an exclusive relationship with Galileo (Ire) since departing to stud and their first foal, Marvellous (Ire), won the Irish 1000 Guineas, swiftly followed by her year-younger brother Gleneagles (Ire), who took the Irish 2000 Guineas as the middle leg of a Group 1 treble at three. Taj Mahal (Ire) broke the mould by heading instead to the Prix du Jockey Club, in which...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Insights features a full-sister to G1 Epsom Derby runner-up Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 12.45 Haydock, Mdn, £6,400, 2yo, 6f 212yT KING LEO (GB) (The Last Lion {Ire}) is the first runner in Britain for the Kildangan Stud-based G1 Middle Park S. hero and at 170,000gns his...

It already feels like the main part of the European season is more than just a week old and the unrelenting catch-up moves to Leopardstown on Tuesday where the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial takes centre stage. Aidan O'Brien has won 12 of these and saddles half of the field with Seamus Heffernan on the Laurie Macri colourbearer Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Impressive at the end of a mile maiden staged on soft-to-heavy ground on the opening day of the Irish flat turf season at Naas Mar. 23, the...

Juddmonte's undefeated G1SW Siskin (First Defence) tops 15 contenders for Friday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh at the latest entry stage. Ger Lyons's charge won each of his four starts last term, culminating in the G1 Phoenix S., but was withdrawn at the start on his intended finale in the G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket after proving unruly in the stalls. Aidan O'Brien has seven colts in the mix at this stage, headed by Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who won the G2 Futurity S. and G3...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday's Insights features the first foal of MG1SW Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 12.15 Haydock, Novice, £6,400, 2yo, 6fT MESHAKEL (IRE) (Shamardal) is another off the Mark Johnston production line which has been working highly efficiently since Monday, with Salem Rashid bin Ghadayer's March-foaled chestnut another Royal Ascot aspirant having...