Yet another two-year-old crop of incomparable quality for Galileo

This article was first published in April 2018

If bookmakers offered odds on Britain and Ireland's champion Flat sire, it would be the least competitive market imaginable. Galileo has taken the title every year since 2010 – by increasingly wide margins – and will most likely continue to do so well into the next decade. Betting without the winner would be obligatory.

Galileo's dominance has been sealed by him covering books of outstanding quality each year at Coolmore, in large numbers to boot, and this year's two-year-old crop by the phenomenal sire is once again replete with siblings to, and offspring of, top-class names.

In 2015, when this year's juveniles were conceived, Galileo was sent 181 mares, 147 of whom (81 per cent) were winners, with 92 (51 per cent) Pattern winners. That covering season resulted in 125 foals.

Where to start looking for highlights among those 125? First stop, the exclusive club of progeny of those very special mares who notched Group 1 victories in their own racing careers and have produced Group 1 winners at stud. They include:

• A filly out of Lillie Langtry, winner of the Coronation Stakes and Matron Stakes and already dam of Minding to Galileo
• A filly out of Red Evie, winner of the Lockinge Stakes and Matron Stakes and already the dam of Found to Galileo
• A colt out of Sharp Lisa, winner of the Las Virgenes Stakes and already the dam of Foundry to Galileo

Of that trio, only Sharp Lisa's son is currently recorded by Weatherbys as in training with Aidan O'Brien but the other two, fellow Coolmore homebreds, will surely follow suit.

Galileo two-year-olds with 'just' a Group/Grade 1 winner as dam include the following (names and trainers listed where known):

• Ammannati, a filly out of Spinster Stakes winner Acoma, in training with John Gosden
• Bardo, a colt out of Prix de l'Abbaye winner Gilt Edge Girl, in training with George Scott
• Mount Everest, a colt out of Breeders' Cup Mile winner Six Perfections, already dam of Faufiler and Yucatan to Galileo. In training with Aidan O'Brien
• Nefertiti, a filly out of Divine Proportions, whose five top-level wins included the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane. In training with Sir Michael Stoute
• Switch Around, a filly out of La Brea Stakes and Santa Monica Stakes winner Switch
• Up Helly Aa, a colt out of Matron Stakes winner Fiesolana, in training with Willie McCreery
• A filly out of Moyglare Stud Stakes and Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Again, already dam of Delano Roosevelt and Indian Maharaja to Galileo
• A colt out of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Airwave whose half-sister Meow is the dam of Churchill and Clemmie. In training with Andre Fabre
• A colt out of Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Chelsea Rose, already dam of Kew Gardens to Galileo
• A colt out of Ashland Stakes winner Christmas Kid, already dam of Black Sea to Galileo. In training with Aidan O'Brien
• A filly out of Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup and American Oaks winner Harmonious
• A colt out of Moonlight Cloud, winner of six Group 1 races including the Prix Maurice de Gheest three times, in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A colt out of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Rosdhu Queen, in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A filly out of Fillies' Mile and Falmouth Stakes winner Simply Perfect, already dam of Mekong River to Galileo
• A colt out of four-time US Grade 1 winner Turbulent Descent, already dam of Spanish Steps to Galileo. In training with Aidan O'Brien
• A filly out of Prix Saint-Alary winner Vadawina, already dam of The Pentagon to Galileo

There are, of course, numerous siblings to high-class horses including those whose dams have already clicked with Galileo to produce top-level winners. Among them are:

• Albuquerque, a brother to Rip Van Winkle in training with Aidan O'Brien
• Blenheim Palace, a brother to Churchill and Clemmie in training with Aidan O'Brien
• Flying, a sister to Ballydoyle and Misty For Me
• Frosty, a sister to Winter
• Norway, a brother to Ruler Of The World (and half-brother to Duke Of Marmalade) in training with Aidan O'Brien
• Sapa Inca, a sister to Johannes Vermeer in training with Mark Johnston
• A brother to Alice Springs in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A sister to Capri
• A sister to Deauville
• A sister to Hydrangea and The United States
• A brother to Maybe (dam of Saxon Warrior) in training with Aidan O'Brien

Then there are the half-siblings to Group/Grade 1 winners by other stallions, listed below. Look out for the one or two cases where the dams have managed to throw an exceptional athlete when matched with lesser sires than Galileo – it tempts you to wonder what those mares might achieve with an upgraded mating.

• Dosila, a half-sister to Silasol (by Monsun) in training with Carlos Laffon-Parias
• Flora Danica, a half-sister to Intense Focus (by Giant's Causeway)
• Goddess, a half-sister to Garswood (by Dutch Art)
• Koubalibre, a half-sister to Tiggy Wiggy (by Kodiac) in training with Freddy Head
• Search For A Song, a half-sister to Free Eagle (by High Chaparral)
• A half-brother to Canford Cliffs (by Tagula) in training with Jean-Claude Rouget
• A half-brother to Ectot (by Hurricane Run) and Most Improved (Lawman) in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A half-sister to Materiality (by Afleet Alex) and My Miss Sophia (by Unbridled's Song)
• A half-sister to Moonlight Cloud (by Invincible Spirit) in training with Freddy Head
• A half-sister to Mukhadram (by Shamardal)
• A half-sister to Novellist (by Monsun)
• A half-brother to Pour Moi (by Montjeu) in training with Andre Fabre
• A half-sister to Seismos (by Dalakhani)

Godolphin join the fan club

In a marked shift in policy, Sheikh Mohammed's racing operation last year purchased yearlings by Galileo for the first time in more than a decade; and so in 2018 we might be greeted by the unusual sight of two-year-olds by the sire carrying the Godolphin silks. Those horses who could create that spectacle are:

• Gloam, a filly out of Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Dank, bought for 4,000,000gns
• Valentine's Day, a filly out of Balanchine winner L'Amour De Ma Vie bought for €1.2 million
• Mary Somerville, a filly out of dual Group 3 winner Maureen bought for 800,000gns
• A filly out of dual Group 3 winner Lady Springbank bought for 575,000gns, in training with Charlie Appleby
• Line Of Duty, a colt out of demoted 1,000 Guineas first past the post Jacqueline Quest bought for 400,000gns, in training with Charlie Appleby

Rabbah Bloodstock, comprised of friends, family members and business associates of Sheikh Mohammed, signed for a further four Galileo yearlings last year:

• Nayef Road, a colt out of dual Listed winner Rose Bonheur, bought for 100,000gns and in training with Mark Johnston
• A filly out of Grosser Preis von Bayern winner Temida, bought for 390,000gns and in training with Charlie Appleby
• A filly out of Fork Lightning, a winning Storm Cat half-sister to Aussie Rules, bought for 280,000gns and in training with William Haggas
• A brother to the exciting Amedeo Modigliani bought for $75,000 and in training with David Lanigan

Adding speed the recipe for success

More and more Galileo two-year-olds are now having the wraps taken off of them earlier in the season. Indeed, Aidan O'Brien sent out 12 before Royal Ascot last year and although none returned to the winner's enclosure, the number included subsequent champion juvenile filly Clemmie and Group winners Gustav Klimt, Happily and The Pentagon.

The trend has been accelerated by Coolmore and other breeders increasing the volume of mares with pace and precocity sent to Galileo to repeat a recipe whose success has been advertised by Frankel as well as last year's Newmarket Guineas winners Churchill and Winter, and Gleneagles and his fellow Group 1-winning siblings Happily and Marvellous.

Galileo two-year-olds of 2018 out of such mares, who we might perhaps see sooner rather than later in the season, include:

• Afloat, a half-sister to Lowther and Duchess of Cambridge Stakes winner Lucky Kristale
• Pablo Escobarr, a colt out of Bewitched, a Group 3 winner over 6-7f, in training with Mark Johnston
• Sea Of Joy, a filly out of Albany Stakes winner Nijoom Dubai
• Space Walk, a brother to stakes winners Call To Mind and Recorder out of Albany and Cherry Hinton Stakes winner Memory, in training with William Haggas
• Wargrave, a colt out of Group 3-winning sprinter Scream Blue Murder, in training with Fozzy Stack
• A filly out of Beauty Bright, a Group 3 winner over 6f, in training with Jean-Claude Rouget
• A filly out of Bye Bye Birdie, a Group 3 winner over 6f
• A filly out of Chanting, a Listed winner over 6f
• A colt out of Fire Lily, a Group 3 winner over 6f out of Beauty Is Truth, in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A colt out of Wave, a 5f winner who has already produced Derby runner-up Cliffs Of Moher to Galileo
• A half-brother to Group 2-winning sprinters Caspian Prince and Spirit Quartz, in training with John Gosden
• A half-sister to stakes-winning sprinters Lightning Moon and Song Of My Heart

The Australasian connection

The brilliant Highland Reel and his high-class brother Idaho have vindicated Coolmore's international search for mares to send to Galileo as he is out of the Australasian Oaks third Hveger, an Australian-bred daughter of Danehill – the ace shuttler who has clicked so well with the champion sire. The mare had already produced Group 1 performer Valdemoro at stud in Australia before being flown to County Tipperary.

Hveger has been mated with Galileo every year since she arrived in Ireland in 2010 and she has a two-year-old colt by the sire, a brother to Highland Reel and Idaho named Cape Of Good Hope, in training with Aidan O'Brien again.

She is not the only southern-hemisphere bred mare who has been imported to Ireland to be covered by Galileo and has a juvenile by the sire. There is also:

• A colt out of Atlantic Jewel, a four-time Group 1 winner by Fastnet Rock, in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A colt out of Believe'n'Succeed, a Group 3-winning daughter of Exceed And Excel who has already produced Group 1-winning sprinter Bounding, in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A colt out of Entrust, a New Zealand-bred winning daughter of Danehill and Fillies' Mile second Ajfan, in training with Andre Fabre
• A colt out of Hillfa, a Listed-winning daughter of Danehill who has already produced Listed winner Walk With Attitude, in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A colt out of Monsoon Wedding, a Group 2-placed daughter of Danehill who has already produced stakes winners Lucky Raquie and Precious Lorraine, in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A colt out of Nechita, a Group 1-winning sprinter by Fastnet Rock, in training with Aidan O'Brien
• A filly out of Zouzou, a winning daughter of Redoute's Choice who is already the dam of Group 1-winning sprinter and promising young sire Zoustar

Cross-code curiosities

Finally, two juveniles who we should not expect to see on the racecourse for a good few years yet.

Thanks to his close association with Coolmore, JP McManus has been able to do what any other jumps breeder could only dream of doing: send National Hunt mares to Galileo, whose Flat cast-offs include Celestial Halo, Supasundae and Windsor Park.

Hi Native, a daughter of Be My Native who is the dam of Grade 1-winning chaser Gilgamboa, has a filly bred in the name of McManus's son Kieran, while Cross The Flags, a Flemensfirth half-sister to the family's homebred Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Synchronised – who was by Galileo's sire Sadler's Wells – has a colt bred by McManus's wife Noreen.

Those jumps-breds were rarities in Galileo's book of mares in 2015, which was dominated by mares descended in the male line from Danehill – Galileo over Danehill being the cross responsible for Frankel and 11 other Group/Grade 1 winners.

In fact, just under half of all the two-year-olds Galileo has to run for him this year – 60 out of 125 – are out of mares who hail from that sire-line. Nineteen are out of mares by Danehill, while 14 and eight are out of mares by Danehill's sons Danehill Dancer and Dansili.

If you enjoyed reading this, you might also like...

Business for usual for Galileo as he dominates Derby entries

Jim Bolger, the man who put Galileo the supersire on the map

Record-breaking mare Goldikova to return to Galileo in 2018