Already the sire of three Epsom Derby winners, Galileo dominates the entries for the 2017 Investec Derby, writes Sarah Whitelaw.
Galileo
The world’s number one sire has 30 entries, including champion 2yo Churchill and Gr1 Racing Post Trophy runner up Yucatan. The latter is a son of champion 2yo filly Six Perfections, winner at 3 of the Breeder’s Cup Mile.
Galileo also has Belgravia, half brother to Drakenstein stallion Duke Of Marmalade, and Diodorus, half brother to Scott Bros stallion Eightfold Path, their dam Divine Proportions champion filly at 2 and at 3. Then there is Rekindling, a brother to Summerhill sire Golden Sword. Rekindling is by Derby winner High Chaparral, Golden Sword finished fifth in the Derby in Sea The Stars’ year.
Mirage Dancer, by Galileo’s son Frankel, is another with SA connections. His Gr1 winning dam Heat Haze is a three parts sister to champion and Breeders’ Cup winner Banks Hill (Danehill), the dam of Mauritzfontein sire Ideal World.
Galileo’s sons Teofilo, New Approach, Rip Van Winkle, Frankel, Soldier Of Fortune, and Nathaniel all have Derby entries.
Frankel – Galileo’s son
Galileo’s sire Sadler’s Wells and dam Urban Sea have both exerted a huge influence on the Derby and this could well be extended in 2017.
Galileo’s half brother Sea The Stars (Cape Cross), sire of last year’s winner Harzand, has sons Big Challenge, Fujaira Bridge, Karawaan and Towie. In this context, Harzand’s half-brother Haripour (by Shamardal) was second on his only racecourse outing and he too holds a Derby entry.
Urban Sea (dam of Galileo and Sea The Stars) could have 3 sons with Derby runners, as her Born To Sea (Invincible Spirit) is sire of 3yo Star Of Rory.
Dubawi, Europe’s second best sire after Galileo, predictably is strongly represented.
Dubawi (Dubai Millennium – Zomaradah)
The son of Dubai Millennium (who suffered his only ever defeat in the Derby) has a dozen which include Benbatl (out of G1 Flower Bowl Invitational winner Nahrain), Bin Battuta (a half-brother to champion sprinter Dream Ahead), Devamani (a half-brother to Gr1 Prix Ganay winning sire Dariyan), and Forever Song (whose dam is a Gr2 winning half-sister to three Gr1 winners, including Galileo’s Nathaniel).
Japanese champion sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) could be in the hunt through any of Fierce Impact, Impact Point, Lethal Impact and Wisconsin (out of Danehill’s champion daughter Peeping Fawn from the Best In Show family).
Deep Impact (Sunday Silence – Wind In Her Hair)
The former Triple Crown winner has enjoyed Gr1 success as a sire outside of Japan, with Beauty Parlour, A Shin Hikari, Gentildonna and Real Impact. His Japanese counterpart King Kamehameha (Kingmambo) has Promise Of Peace as a Blue Riband entry.
The Best In Show family’s leading stallion Redoute’s Choice has Ballymacoll bred and owned Pivoine, who is from the same family as Highland’s stallion Potala Palace (Singspiel), and out of a Montjeu half-sister to the dam of G1 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente (Monsun).
Galileo’s daughters Was and Minding both won the Investec Oaks, and the stallion is broodmare sire of Oaks winner Qualify (Fastnet Rock). His Oaks entries for this year include Gr1 Fillies Mile winner Rhododendron (who is a full sister to Bush Hill Stud sire Flying The Flag), Hydrangea (runner-up to Rhododendron in the Fillies Mile), and Gr1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Promise To Be True. A full sister to champion 2yo Maybe, Promise To Be True is from the same family as Oaks winner Dancing Rain (Danehill Dancer).
1997 Dubai World Cup – Singspiel (photo: Dubai Racing Club)
Galileo is also damsire of Gr1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Intricately (Fastnet Rock), whose dam is a half-sister to Rock Of Gibraltar (who like Fastnet Rock is by Danehill).
Dubawi’s daughter Wuheida, who accounted for Promise To Be True when victorious in last season’s Gr1 Prix Marcel Boussac, is still undefeated. She’s out of multiple Gr1 winner Hibaayeb, a daughter of Singspiel from the family of Oaks winner Oh So Sharp (Kris).
Dubawi also has the filly Kazimiera, who is out of a daughter of German champion sire Monsun and Oaks winner Kazzia (Zinaad).
What goes round comes round.
