The late great Galileo and his progeny dominated feature race action at last week’s York Ebor meeting.
Not only was the legendary son of Sadler’s Wells responsible for the first three home in Thursday’s Gr1 Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, his greatest son was the sire of the first two home in Wednesday’s Gr1 Juddmonte International.
Warm Heart ridden by jockey James Doyle (right) on their way to winning the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (Pic – Racing TV)
Galileo fillies Warm Heart, Free Wind (out of a mare by former Drakenstein resident Duke Of Marmalade) and Savethelastdance filled the first three placings in the Yorkshire Oaks, while the Frankel sired pair of Mostahdaf and Nashwa ran first and second in the Juddmonte International.
Remarkably Galileo appears in the pedigree of six of the ten runners in this year’s Yorkshire Oaks.
Galileo also ranks as the broodmare sire of high-class three-year-old Continuous (Heart’s Cry), who won Wednesday’s Gr2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes.
Continuous is out of the Galileo mare Fluff, a full-sister to Gr1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Maybe, the dam of Gr1 Qipco 2000 Guineas winning sire Saxon Warrior.
The great Galileo
Galileo is also broodmare sire of this year’s Great Voltigeur third Gregory, while Galileo daughter One Evening finished second in Thursday’s Listed British EBF Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes – ironically, the Galtres was won by Sea Theme, a daughter of Galileo’s half-brother Sea The Stars.
Galileo also made his mark at York on Friday where his son Marhaba The Champ won the Sky Bet Handicap and grandsons Courage Mon Ami and Giavellotto finished second and third respectively in the Gr2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes.
Highfield Princess chases Live In The Dream in Friday’s Gr1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (Pic – Racing TV)
Galileo is also broodmare sire of Night Of Thunder, whose star daughter Highfield Princess finished second in Friday’s Gr1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.
The Galileo show rolled on into Saturday where Frankel’s son Spirit Dancer won York’s Gr3 Sky Bet And Symphony Strensall Stakes, and his sire ranked as the broodmare sire of Saturday’s Sky Bet Melrose Handicap winner and third place finisher Middle Earth and Fox Journey.
Yorkshire Oaks winner Warm Heart is the 99th Gr1 winner for her sire, who has been somewhat overshadowed in the past few seasons by both Dubawi and Frankel.
Galileo, however, has still managed to enjoy classic success both this year and last, with his daughters Magical Lagoon and Savethelastdance victorious in the Gr1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks of 2022 and 2023 respectively.
It is not the first time, however, that Galileo has made his presence felt at York.
Frankel – wins the Juddmonte in 2012
Frankel ran out a brilliant seven length winner of the 2012 Gr1 Juddmonte International, his sons Rip Van Winkle, Australia, Ulysses and Japan also all won the International, with Galileo also broodmare sire of 2020 Juddmonte International winner Ghaiyyath (Dubawi).
Galileo is also now responsible for 5 Yorkshire Oaks winners with Warm Heart joining her paternal half-sisters Tapestry, Seventh Heaven, Lush Lashes and Love as a winner of the York showpiece.
His sons Frankel, Nathaniel, and Teofilo have also sired at least one Yorkshire Oaks winner, with Galileo’s half-brother Sea The Stars responsible for 2018 winner Sea Of Class.
