Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday October 19

Hampered by injury, illness, and not being the most fertile of stallions, Teofilo (IRE) left six Australian crops ranging from as low as forty-two to a high of sixty-nine.

Despite averaging just 55 live foals per crop, the son of Galileo left an incredible legacy through the likes of Humidor, Happy Clapper, Palentino, Kermadec, and Sonntag.

Two of Teofilo's twenty-three Group 1 winners, Cross Counter (IRE) and Twilight Payment (IRE) earned their Group 1s in the Melbourne Cup.

Teofilo has two of the top chances in Saturday's $5,000,000 Group 1 Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup, Without A Fight and West Wind Blows, while the hope of the locals, Montefilia, is a 4-time Group 1 winning daughter of Teofilo's dual Group 1 winner Kermadec.

Without A Fight cruises to victory in the Q22 (image Grant Courtney)

Without A Fight is trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman after beginning life with Simon and Ed Crisford, trainers of West Wind Blows. He was left with the Freedmans after disappointing behind Gold Trip (FR) in the Melbourne Cup.

The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid homebred won his two starts in a winter campaign, the Group III Lord Mayors Cup (1800m) and Group II The Q22 (2200m), both at Eagle Farm.

Advertisement

He comes to the Caulfield Cup off just one lead-up, a close-up sixth behind Alligator Blood in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 23.

The 7-year-old gelding won three European stakes races, including the Group III John Smith's Silver Cup Stakes (14f) at York. He is the best of four winners from five to race for the Group III-winning Dubawi mare Khor Sheed, whose unraced daughter Sharja Princess (Invincible Spirit) is the dam of Grade II John C Mabee Stakes winner Avenue de France (Cityscape).

A half-sister to Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Prince Kirk (Selkirk), Khor Sheed is a granddaughter of Group 1 winner Halo's Princess (Halo), a half-sister to the imported mare Curator (CAN).

A daughter of Assert (IRE), Curator left her mark as the dam of  Group 1 SAJC South Australian Oaks and Group 1 WATC Western Australian Derby winner Voile D'Or (Dieu d'Or); Group 1 STC Mercedes Classic (Tancred Stakes) winner Curata Storm (Dieu d'Or); and Listed Gosford Belle Of The Turf Stakes winner Imperatrix (Strategic), dam of the Listed Canberra Cup winner Court Connection.

Teofilo (image Mark Smith)

Curata Storm's win as a $101 chance in the Mercedes Classic is still a topic of conversation today.

Coming off a maiden win at Hawkesbury at his tenth start, Curata Storm left the likes of Tie The Knot, Hill Of Grace, Freemason, Kaapstad Way, Giovana, Sky Heights, Showella and Second Coming trailing in his wake at Rosehill.

Curata Storm failed to win another race in 20 starts.

Galileo's influence on the Caulfield Cup does not rest solely with Teofilo.

His champion son Frankel has two live chances in the Chris Waller-trained pair Francesco Guardi and Soulcombe, and Nathaniel has the underrated Spirit Ridge.

Galileo himself has the unheralded Joseph O'Brien-trained Okita Soushi and one of O'Brien's former protegees, the first emergency United Nations. 

Galileo (image Mark Smith)

Advertisment
More Reading...
Carrazzo Races into Formidable New Merger
In a strategic move aimed at enhancing its service offerings and client experience, Australia’s most recognised and respected Bloodstock Taxation Accountants, Carrazzo Consulting, are delighted to announce their forthcoming merger with the progressive Top 100 Chartered Accounting firm, Baumgartners, effective 1 July 2024.
Whistlejacket – Hands Up Who Has One of These at Home?
The first two year-old stakes race of the year in Ireland was run at The Curragh on Monday and the Aidan O’Brien trained winner has a name that is going to be familiar to so many people… Whistlejacket!
New Stakes-Winners for Wootton Bassett and Starspangledbanner
Two new three year-old stakes-winners in two days for Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) with Oaks contender Gala Real successful on Sunday at Longchamp followed by Wootton Verni, who took out the Group III Prix Greffulhe (2100m) at Saint Cloud overnight.
Debut Winner for Gilgai Bred and Sold Grunt
Gilgai Farm have bred champions such as Black Caviar, All Too Hard and Ole Kirk and they also bred and sold eye-catching debut winner Ailyak, who scored at Werribee on Monday for the Ciaron Maher stable.
Highline Thoroughbreds Celebrate Pinhook Success Discretion Rules
Highline Thoroughbreds’ profile as a source of quality youngsters continues to grow with Discretion Rules their latest black-type success story.
Sires With Winners - Monday May 6
Here is the full list of 17 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$575,000 I Am Invincible Filly Tops Inglis Weanlings Day 1
An I Am Invincible filly for the Alma Vale/Kitchwin Hills partnership which realised $575,000 capped off a record opening day of the Australian Weanling Sale at Riverside.
Inglis Weanling Sale Concludes as a Record Breaker
The most successful Inglis Australian Weanling Sale in history concluded today with all key financial metrics hitting record highs.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday May 7
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Novara Park Announce 2024 Fees
Novara Park has stuck solid with its stallion roster, maintaining the service fees for all stallions for the 2024 breeding season.