The world’s premier sire, Galileo, continued his complete domination of the world’s top races, when his progeny, Found, Highland Reel and Order Of St George ran 1-2-3 in Sunday’s Gr1 Qatar Prix de l’arc de Triomphe at Chantilly, writes Sarah Whitelaw.
What is all the more remarkable about this tremendous achievement is that the trio were their sire’s only runners in the great race.
Even by his own standards, Galileo’s complete dominance of the Arc was remarkable and it will certainly go down as one of the highlights of his remarkable career.
Previously Galileo had been represented by the first three home in such major G1 races as the 2006 St Leger, 2016 Qipco 1000 Guineas, 2014 Irish Derby, and……… – this story is a long way from being finished.
Oaks Glory
Galileo
Incidentally, Galileo daughters, Seventh Heaven and Found, also filled the first two placings in this year’s Gr1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks.
This magnificent sire (whose runners have won all of the English, Irish and French classic races on at least one occasion) has been represented by 11 individual Group/Grade 1 winners this year alone, with the stock of Galileo having won the Gr1 Investec Oaks, Gr1 Qipco 1000 Guineas, Gr1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, Gr1 Arlington Million, Gr1 French 2000 Guineas, and Gr1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (to name a few) in 2016 alone!
Galileo’s dam, Urban Sea (Miswaki), is part of the Arc legend –not only did the great mare win the Arc in 1993, but she also produced 2009 Arc hero and subsequent top class sire, Sea The Stars.
Sea The Stars – champion
Between Galileo and Sea The Stars (Cape Cross), the pair accounted for five of the 16 runners in this year’s Arc.
While Galileo still has a way to go to match the overall record, as a sire of sires, of the likes of Northern Dancer and Mr Prospector; he is without question the dominant sire of his generation and could well hold claims to being the greatest of all time.
Breeders’ Cup
Found, who had also tasted success in last year’s Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, made history when successful in Sunday’s Arc as she is the first Arc winner for Galileo.
The remarkably game and consistent Found (she has won or finished second in 12 Gr1 races thus far) also continued the tremendous dominance that the Northern Dancer male line has exerted on the Arc, widely considered to be Europe’s greatest horse-race. Since 2005, the Arc has been won by descendants of Northern Dancer on 10 occasions.
Sadler’s Wells – painting by Susan Crawford
Sadler’s Wells and his male line descendants, in particular, have enjoyed great success in the Arc de Triomphe , with Sadler’s Wells himself siring Arc winners Carnegie and Montjeu, and the great sire (responsible for Galileo himself) is also damsire of former Arc hero Workforce (King’s Best).
Found is bred on the same Galileo/Intikhab cross as former July winner and Horse Of The Year, Igugu, while Intikhab’s sire, Red Ransom (Roberto) is broodmare sire of the Galileo sired champion, Mahbooba.
Outstanding
The Galileo/Roberto cross has also produced such outstanding performers as Gr1 winning siblings, Nathaniel and Great Heavens, and Seville.
Found herself is out of a top class racemare in Red Evie, whose nine wins (from just 15 outings) included both the Gr1 Matron Stakes and Gr1 Lockinge Stakes. She has become a superb producer, with Red Evie’s other runners including Found’s group winning own sisters, Best In The World (Gr3 Give Thanks Stakes) and Magical Dream (Gr3 C L Weld Park Stakes).
She was one of the best offspring sired by the now deceased Intikhab, who was also responsible for the great racemare, and former dual Oaks winner, Snow Fairy. One would have to think the latter an obvious candidate to visit Galileo and or his sons.
Found, whose first three dams are all black type performers) is a direct descendant of one of history’s greatest broodmares in Paraffin (Blair Athol). The latter has established a magnificent worldwide dynasty, and her outstanding descendants include such star gallopers and or producers as Flair (1000 Guineas), Night Raid (sire of the mighty Phar Lap), Chelandry (1000 Guineas), Neil Gow (2000 Guineas), outstanding Australian sires Heroic and Magpie, Epsom Derby winner, Ladas and champion US broodmare sire, Wrack.
This family has produced top class horses all over the world, with Found’s numerous top class relatives including outstanding sire, Kenmare (Kalamoun) and Con Brio, as well as Gr1 winners in Argentina and the Trinidad champion, Quisical, while Found’s ancestress, Lady Lightfoot, produced a truly exceptional racehorse in Prince Palatine (Persimmon).
Sires List
The latter won the St Leger by six lengths, and also captured such notable races as the Coronation Cup, Eclipse Stakes and Ascot Gold Cup. Prince Palatine went on to sire Rose Prince, whose male line descendants included US champion sire (and broodmare sire of Secretariat and Mill Reef), Princequillo.
The latter headed the US Sires List on four occasions and was champion broodmare sire in North America 8 times and in the UK once.
It is, however, safe to say that much of Found’s glory, which has seen her win at the highest level at 2, 3, and 4, can be laid at the feet of her great and truly peerless sire.
It will be a long time, if ever, before we see a stallion who can be compared to the one and only Galileo!
