The influence of mares by legendary sire Galileo has been demonstrated powerfully in Australia this season with his daughters producing nine stakes-winners highlighted by the now four time Group I winning Kiwi bred mare Tofane.
Her pedigree combines the best of Kiwi and Australian bloodlines through her sire Ocean Park, while her Australian bred dam by Galileo adds the European class to the mix.
Other quality performers in Australia this season from daughters of Galileo are Expat (Makfi), Snapdancer (Choisir), Sirileo Miss (Pride of Dubai), Warning (Declaration of War ), Secret Blaze (Sizzling), Extreme Flight (Extreme Choice) and the imported pair of Earlswood (Pivotal) and Blue Soldier (War Front).
There are four yearlings in Karaka Book 1 from mares by Galileo, so let’s check them out!
Lot 410 Filly Fastnet Rock x Memories of You (IRE) – Curraghmore
Full sister to Group I ATC Australian Oaks winner Unforgotten, also stakes-placed Special Memories and is bred on a gold-plated nick!
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been spectacularly successful producing 24 stakes-winners, nine of which are Group I winners with a strike rate of 20% SW to runner.
We saw it working in the reverse pattern on Sunday when Galileo gelding Russian Emperor, from Group I winning Fastnet Rock mare Atlantic Jewel, won the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup, read about him here.
Whatever way you look at it Fastnet Rock and Galileo enjoy a great affinity which is why Lot 85 from Cambridge Stud stands out like a beacon.
The colt is from the second crop of Fastnet Rock’s champion son Merchant Navy and is the first foal of blueblood import Anchovy (IRE), who is closely related to Galileo’s Epsom Derby winner Ruler of the Word.
Cambridge Stud will also offer Lot 324 a colt by Almanzor (Fr) from I Presume (GB), a placed three-quarter sister to Group II winner Doctor Fremantle from the family of European champions Sunshack and Raintrap.
This one is an interesting mating not so much for what it has done, but what it may do in the future given Almanzor’s sire Wootton Bassett has moved to Coolmore in Ireland and is now covering the cream of their Galileo mares, so expect this nick which has had little exposure to date to deliver a lot more as time goes on.
The final yearling from a Galileo mare comes from Pencarrow Stud and is Lot 563, a filly by Savabeel from Group III winner Scintillula (IRE) making her a full sister to lightly raced Group II placed Butter Chicken.
For what it’s worth, the Savabeel x Galileo nick is 100% success with six winners from six runners and as well as Butter Chicken they include Group I winner Hall of Fame and Group III winner Showbeel, so watching the video below is now a must!
Click here for the full Karaka Books 1 and 2 to be offered March 7 – 12