Line Of Duty vindicates Godolphin's relaxation of Galileo boycott

Godolphin's decision to relax its decade-long boycott of buying stock by Coolmore sires at source last year has already been rewarded on the racecourse in 2018 – most notably through Charlie Appleby's Group 2-winning filly Beyond Reason, a daughter of Australia bought by Rabbah Bloodstock for 370,000gns.

But the move was vindicated most spectacularly when the Appleby-trained Line Of Duty finished strongly to take the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Churchill Downs on Friday.

The colt is by Coolmore phenomenon Galileo, whose foals and yearlings the Maktoum family had refused to purchase at auction despite him being champion sire in Britain and Ireland for nine of the last ten seasons.

Godolphin did buy progeny of Galileo after they had proven their talent on the track, most effectively when securing the sire's champion two-year-old sons Teofilo and New Approach from their trainer Jim Bolger, who had bet the bank on Galileo in his early years at stud.

New Approach and Teofilo have stood with success under the Darley banner at Sheikh Mohammed's studs to mitigate to a degree the self-imposed lack of access to their sire, and this year Masar, a Godolphin-bred son of New Approach, won the Derby carrying the operation's royal blue silks.

Line Of Duty is one of nine yearlings by Galileo bought by either Godolphin or the affiliated Rabbah Bloodstock at the sales last year.

Others include the dual winner Nayef Road, trained by Mark Johnston for Mohammed Obaida, and Mary Somerville, in the care of John Gosden for Princess Haya of Jordan and a runner-up twice from three starts.

Godolphin also dipped into the drafts of other Coolmore sires at auction in 2017 and the results have included Art Du Val, a Listed runner-up by No Nay Never, as well as Beyond Reason.

Sheikh Mohammed's team were back in action for more Galileo offspring at the yearling sales in recent weeks, with Anthony Stroud purchasing a number who are likely to race for Godolphin or their associates including a 1,200,000gns half-sister to Ivawood and a 1,100,000gns colt out of Posset, a sister to Midday.

Line Of Duty, winner of the Group 3 Prix de Conde last month, was bred by Triermore Stud and is the fourth foal out of the Rock Of Gibraltar mare Jacqueline Quest, who finished first past the post in the 1,000 Guineas in 2010 but was demoted to second in favour of Special Duty, the stewards deeming she had cost her rival victory by hanging in the final furlong.

Jacqueline Quest, who also finished third in the Coronation Stakes and was bought by Charlie Gordon-Watson as a breeding prospect for 600,000gns at the end of her racing career, has also produced the Listed-placed Hibiscus after being mated to Galileo.

The mare, who hails from the family of Group winners Regime, Salut D'Amour and Title Roll, has a yearling filly by Dubawi sold to Jamie McCalmont for 200,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1 last month and a Galileo colt foal born March 30.

She was covered by Dubawi again this year.

There were some hairy moments immediately after the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Friday when it appeared that Line Of Duty might emulate his dam in the most unfortunate way, with stewards looking into bumping between him and the runner-up Uncle Benny, a son of Declaration Of War.

However, on this occasion, the result stood and Line Of Duty became the 75th Group/Grade 1 winner for Galileo.

Having surpassed his own sire Sadler's Wells in this respect – he had managed 73 – Galileo now has the all-time record of 84 held by Danehill firmly in his sights.

GALILEO YEARLINGS BOUGHT BY GODOLPHIN OR RABBAH IN 2017

Group/Grade 1 winner

Line Of Duty
ch c ex Jacqueline Quest (Rock Of Gibraltar)
400,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1

Multiple winner

Nayef Road
ch c ex Rose Bonheur (Danehill Dancer)
100,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1

Placed

Mary Somerville
ch f ex Maureen (Holy Roman Emperor)
800,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1

Unplaced

Divine Justice
b f ex Temida (Oratorio)
390,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1

Ghaziyah
gr f ex Fork Lightning (Storm Cat)
280,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1

Thorny Time
b c ex Gooseberry Fool (Danehill Dancer)
$75,000 Keeneland September

Unraced

Maria Danilova
b f ex Dank (Dansili)
4,000,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1

Valentine's Day
b f ex L'Amour De Ma Vie (Dansili)
€1,200,000 Goffs Orby

Unnamed
b f ex Lady Springbank (Choisir)
575,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1

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