County Kildare is a world away from the rustic rural setting of Piketberg but Bennie van der Merwe and his Moutonshoek team will have their eyes firmly focussed on the Curragh on Sunday where a full sister to their new sire is set to line up in the Gr1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas.
The United States (white blaze) in race action
The United States, one of more than 60 Gr1 winners sired by Galileo, will stand his first season at Moutonshoek this year.
His full sister Hydrangea, is one of 13 potential runners for the Gr1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas.
One of the better 2yo’s of last year, when second in both the Gr1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and Gr1 Dubai Fillies’ Mile, Hydrangea defeated QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner Winter when successful in the Gr3 Ballylinch 1000 Guineas Trial two starts back.
Hydrangea has won or placed in six of her nine outings to date, and has already amassed more than £220 000 in prize money.
Her sire, responsible for both the English 2000 and 1000 Guineas winners this year, could be represented by four runners in Sunday’s classic, with Galileo’s likely starters including the abovementioned Winter.
The United States was a top class racehorse, who banked more than £1 million in stakes.
His victories included the Gr1 Ranvet Stakes, Gr2 Crystal Mile and Gr3 KPMG Enterprise Stakes, with The United States also having won first time out, over 1400m, as a 2yo.
The United States and Hydrangea are out of G3 Prix d’Arenberg winner Beauty Is Truth, a daughter of outstanding sire and broodmare sire Pivotal. Beauty Is Truth is also the dam of Gr3 Anglesey Stakes winner Fire Lily who ran second to multiple Gr1 winner Elusive Kate in the 2011 Gr1 Prix Marcel Boussac.
