Another case of Galileo galore in Juddmonte International

Galileo underlined just what a dominant force he is in elite racing nowadays by appearing in the pedigrees of the first five home in the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday.

The Coolmore kingpin sired the first two home, the Niarchos family-bred and owned Ulysses and Coolmore homebred Churchill, as well as the fourth and fifth, Cliffs Of Moher and Decorated Knight.

He is not the sire of third home Barney Roy, a son of studmate Excelebration, but he is responsible for the colt's dam, Alina.

Galileo has now supplied the winners of 13 Group 1 races in 2017 alone. His other star performers this year are dual Classic scorers Churchill and Winter, the admirable Highland Reel and Irish Derby hero Capri.

Galileo's statistics speak of his brilliance, as Ulysses is one of 66 top-level winners in his stud career and his roll of honour features such outstanding names as Frankel, Found, Minding, Nathaniel, New Approach and Rip Van Winkle.

Galileo also made his presence felt in the other two Pattern races on the first day of the Ebor meeting at York.

Acomb Stakes winner Wells Farhh Go, a first stakes scorer for freshman Farhh, is out of Galileo's daughter Mowazana, while wide-margin Great Voltigeur Stakes winner Cracksman is by Frankel.

The Great Voltigeur was made up of six runners, remarkably all by Frankel and Galileo.

Ulysses will be a precious stallion prospect as not only is he a brilliant talent on the track, but he is also the last of only three foals out of his late dam Light Shift, a daughter of Kingmambo who so memorably propelled her trainer Sir Henry Cecil back into the big time with her victory in the Oaks in 2007.

Light Shift, who also produced the useful handicapper Dr Yes, is a half-sister to Tattersalls Gold Cup heroine Shiva - the dam of this season's Listed winner and Prix Corrida runner-up That Which Is Not - and to dual Group 2 winner Limnos and Listed scorer Burning Sunset.

Burning Sunset is the dam of Prix d'Harcourt winner and Singapore Cup second Smoking Sun and is the granddam of Derby runner-up and subsequent US turf champion Main Sequence.

Strawberry Fledge, another sister to Light Shift, is the dam of this year's Prix Ganay hero Cloth Of Stars.

Light Shift and her illustrious siblings were out of Lingerie, a daughter of Shirley Heights and Prix de Diane winner Northern Trick.

Galileo has clicked with three different Oaks winners to produce a Group 1 winner: Sixties Icon when matched with Love Divine, Australia when paired with Ouija Board and now Ulysses the result of the mating with Light Shift.

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