'It's a really happy day for Newsells' - nobody gets to Nathaniel filly in Irish Oaks thriller

The wait goes on for Galileo's 100th individual Group/Grade 1 winner, the late stallion phenomenon being denied an Irish Oaks victory by a filly sired by his King George and Eclipse-winning son Nathaniel.

You Got To Me, who beat Galileo's daughter Content by three-quarters of a length, had previously been successful in the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial, before finishing fourth to Ezeliya in the Oaks and filling the same position behind Port Fairy in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

You Got To Me is the second Irish Classic winner in three seasons for Ralph Beckett, who prepared Westover to win the Irish Derby of 2022, and the trainer emphasised how determined the filly had to be to secure her triumph.

"She's very tough," he said. "It wasn't the plan to be so far behind today and she had to fight hard. She battles.

"Every run this season has been better than the previous one and it was great that she was in the right shape to come here. I'm thrilled to bits that she's won."

The Curragh victory brings her sire Nathaniel's career total to nine individual Group 1 winners and she is the second of his daughters to triumph in the race; the great Enable was victorious seven years ago and Beckett indicated You Got To Me will be given the chance to emulate Enable at York next month.

"The Yorkshire Oaks is the most likely next run for her as the track will suit her," he said.

You Got To Me is owned by Valmont, which is headed by Anthony Ramsden, and Newsells Park Stud, home to Nathaniel.

Nathaniel with his stallion man David Porter- Mackrell at Newsells Park Stud Credit: Edward Whitaker

"It's brilliant for Julian [Dollar] and the team at Newsells who stand Nathaniel, it's a really happy day for them," said Beckett.

Alex Elliott purchased You Got To Me for 200,000gns at Book One of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale from Flash Conroy's Glenvale Stud.

Beckett said: "She's a terrific filly for her owners. This is only the second crop of yearlings that Alex Elliott has bought for them so to come up with an Oaks winner is some going."

She was bred by Dullingham Park Stud and Sarabex and sold by the National Stud as a foal to BBA Ireland for 62,000gns. The fifth foal of her dam, the Listed Galtres Stakes winner Brushing, by Medicean, she is inbred 3x3 to the full-brothers Sadler's Wells and Fairy King.

Brushing comes from a brilliant Moyglare Stud family – her dam Seasonal Blossom is a Fairy King half-sister to Triumph Hurdle winner Rare Holiday, the Grade 2 Bay Meadows Handicap winner Wait Till Monday and the Group 3 Park Stakes winner Token Gesture, dam of the Grade 1 Canadian International winner Relaxed Gesture and American Derby winner Evolving Tactics.

Galileo did sire a one-two in the following race, the Group 2 Curragh Cup, as Tower Of London collared stablemate Grosvenor Square in the shadow of the post.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained duo are siblings to Irish Derby winners; Tower Of London is a full-brother to Capri while the runner-up is a half-brother to Santiago.

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