Goldikova's 'nephew' Galikeo the first stallion for Haras des Rocs

Galikeo, a Dansili 'nephew' of the legendary 14-time Group 1 winner Goldikova, has been selected as the first stallion to stand at Denis Becerra's Haras des Rocs in the south-west of France.

The regally bred youngster has an iron-clad pedigree, with his dam Galikova having won the Prix Vermeille and finished second to Golden Lilac in the Prix de Diane during her Classic season.

The Galileo mare is one of no fewer than eight black-type performers out of the Blushing Groom mare Born Gold, along with the aforementioned Goldikova and the high-class miler and sire Anodin.

Galikeo was bred and raced in the earlier part of his career by the Wertheimer brothers and showed considerable talent on the Flat, having finished second in the Listed Derby du Languedoc at Toulouse and having won a Class 1 contest over the same 1m4f trip at Maisons-Laffitte.

Intriguingly, he was also campaigned over jumps at four and five and placed twice in chases last year, which could attract the attention of National Hunt breeders.

"Galikeo has the perfect pedigree and we've been following him for a while," Becerra told France-Sire.

"When his career was over, I learned that no decision had been made so I attempted to recruit him. It's exciting to have a first stallion, and I will take advice from professionals in the region to succeed in this new adventure. He'll be supported by our Flat mares, many of which are well bred."

Becerra's father Serge has had a number of notable jumps runners, with Villesia and Rocpistole giving him a one-two as an owner in the 2007 Grande Course de Haies de Pau.

Together with Armand Israel, he has also enjoyed considerable success breeding from the Truculent mare Rochambelle, from whom the pair bred Takeroc, who was second to Tidal Bay in the 2008 Maghull Novices' Chase and third to Master Minded in that year's Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Rochambelle proved herself to be an exceptional National Hunt broodmare, with six black-type performers to her name with Ballyrock, Goffriler, Poliroc, Rocketir and Rocpistole in addition to Takeroc.

Becerra, a tobacconist by trade, keeps eight broodmares at Haras des Rocs, a former cattle farm located between Pau and Mont-de-Marsan in the Les Landes department.

Galikeo has been pitched in at a €1,500 fee for the 2020 breeding season.

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