Second top-level winner for Gleneagles as Highland Chief wins Man o'War

Highland Chief, formerly a Group 2-placed Royal Ascot winner when with Paul and Oliver Cole in Britain, became Gleneagles' second top-flight winner when landing a surprise in the Man o'War Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Having finished unplaced on his first start for Graham Motion last month, the five-year-old made the most of favourite Yibir's slow start to come home a length in front of Gufo, with Yibir a neck back in third.

Highland Chief was providing the Coolmore stallion and dual Guineas winner with his second Group or Grade 1 success, following on from last year's Prix de Royallieu heroine Loving Dream, who had also won the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot prior to her top-level victory.

The pair are among nine individual Group winners for Gleneagles, with others including Balanchine Stakes victress Velocidad, German 1,000 Guineas scorer Novemba, Royal Lodge Stakes winner Royal Dornoch and July Stakes victor Royal Lytham.

Highland Chief, who was also his sire's first winner when landing a Newbury maiden in April 2019, was third to Pinatubo in that season's Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, while at three he won the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot before a run in the Derby and three Group placings, including when a three-quarter length second to Mogul in the Gordon Stakes and second to Pyledriver in the Great Voltigeur Stakes.

The Fitri Hay homebred, who continues to her in her silks, made only one start at four when fifth behind Pyledriver in the Coronation Cup before his switch stateside this year.

Highland Chief is the fourth foal out of Pink Symphony, a daughter of Montjeu who struck in the Give Thanks Stakes for David Wachman and a three-parts sister to Prestige and Nell Gwyn Stakes winner Fantasia, who was also third in the French 1,000 Guineas and is the dam of Classic Trial scorer Berlin Tango.

The duo are also related to Blue Rhapsody, a winning daughter of Cape Cross and the dam of the multiple Group-winning Prix Eugene Adam scorer and Prince of Wales's Stakes third Western Hymn.

The trio are out of the winning Darshaan mare Blue Symphony, who is a daughter of Godolphin's 1995 Cheveley Park and Queen Mary Stakes heroine Blue Duster and therefore a granddaughter of Sheikh Mohammed's Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Blue Note.

Blue Symphony sold from Gainsborough Stud to Charlie Gordon-Watson for 250,000gns from the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2004 before making 1,000,000gns to MV Magnier at the same sale in 2012.

Pink Symphony, who has also produced winners in Dark Angel colt Tartan Chief, Oasis Dream filly Pink Phantom and Dubawi colt African, has an unnamed brother to Highland Chief and a yearling filly by Churchill.

Gleneagles was a prolific performer for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, with success in the National Stakes at two before wins in the English and Irish Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes at three.

The ten-year-old is a son of the late Galileo and out of the brilliant blue hen You'resothrilling, therefore making him a brother to fellow top-flight scorers Marvellous, Happily and Joan Of Arc, as well as the Group or Grade 1-placed Taj Mahal, Vatican City and Coolmore.

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