Classic star The Gurkha related to Group 1 sires

THE GURKHA (IRE) - 2013 bay colt

There is a double-digit list of stallion sons of prolific champion sire Galileo (by Sadler's Wells) who have sired at least one Group/Grade 1 winner somewhere in the world – in countries listed in Part I of the International Cataloguing Standards – and it is a fair bet that The Gurkha will add his name to that list before too long.

He is a classic-winning miler from the family of a Derby hero and Group 1 sire, he stands at Coolmore Stud, and there are 102 registered foals in his first crop. He looks likely to get mostly milers and middle-distance horses.

Unraced at two, he was third in a mile maiden at Leopardstown on his debut at three, ran away with a Navan maiden over the same trip 11 days later and then took the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) by five and a half lengths at Deauville.​

He was odds-on when runner-up to Galileo Gold in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes and when a half-length second to Hawkbill in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes, and his final start saw him beat his Ascot conqueror by a neck in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Timeform rated him 127.

The Gurkha is a full-brother to the pattern-placed Queen Nefertiti and his dam, Chintz (by Danehill Dancer), who won the Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes as a two-year-old, is a half-sister to the dam of the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas runner-up Savile Row (by Makfi).

His grandam is Gold Dodger (by Slew O' Gold) and that stakes-winning daughter of Group 3 Prix Cleopatre scorer Brooklyn's Dance (by Shirley Heights) is a half-sister to five stakes winners and also to a broodmare of note.

Best of the stakes quintet is 2012's surprise Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Solemia (by Poliglote). Her three-parts brothers Prospect Wells (by Sadler's Wells) and Prospect Park (by Sadler's Wells) are Group 1-placed pattern winners, while Brooklyn's Gold (by Seeking The Gold) and Never Green (by Halling) won listed races.

The other noteworthy sibling is Brooklyn's Storm (by Storm) and it is her stakes-winning daughter Stormina (by Gulch) who gave us the classic-placed Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac and Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Silsaol (by Monsun), the joint-champion juvenile filly in France in 2012.

Brooklyn's Dance is a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 Grand Criterium scorer Okawango (by Kingmambo), to the grandam of triple Group 1 star and German champion Quijano (by Acatenango), and also to the mare who gave us 2007's Derby and Juddmonte International Stakes hero Authorized (by Montjeu).

That star has five Group 1 winners to his name, including the multiple Australian top-level star Hartnell, and his success is no surprise given that his grandam (fourth dam of The Gurkha) is Vallee Dansante (by Lyphard), a half-sister to classic hero and leading sire Green Dancer (by Nijinsky) and also to Irish Valley (by Irish River), the dam of juvenile champion and classic sire Alhaarth (by Unfuwain) and grandam of classic hero and classic sire Makfi (by Dubawi).

This is a family with an established history of producing stallions capable of siring Group 1 winners and so there is every reason to hope that classic-winning miler The Gurkha can add his name that roll of honour too.

THE GURKHA (IRE) – b.2013 – Galileo – Chintz, 3 wins inc Poule d'Essai des Poulains (Gr1), Sussex Stakes (Gr1), 2nd Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Gr1), St James's Palace Stakes (Gr1). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2018.

FOALS CATALOGUED:
Bf - Abbasharjah (by Tiger Hill)     Tattersalls     November     withdrawn
Chf - Await (by Peintre Celebre)     Goffs     November     withdrawn
Bf - Blueberry Gal (by Bushranger)     Goffs     November     not sold
Bc - Bouyrin (by Invincible Spirit)     Tattersalls     November     15,000gns
Bf - Burke’s Rock (by Cape Cross)     Tattersalls     November     withdrawn
Bf - C’Est Chic (by Dansili)     Goffs     November     withdrawn
Bc - Cape Good Hope (by Cape Cross)     Tattersalls     November     not sold
Chf - Chronicle (by Observatory)     Tattersalls     November     withdrawn
Bf - City Fair (by Zamindar)     Tattersalls     November     1,500gns
Chf - Clodovina (by Rock Of Gibraltar)     Goffs     November     not sold
Chc - Dynamic Lips (by Excellent Art)     Goffs     November     not sold
Bf - French Flirt (by Peintre Celebre)     Goffs     November     not sold
Chf - Healing Music (by Bering)     Goffs     November     €20,000
Bc - James Bond Girl (by Giant's Causeway)     Arqana     December     not sold
Bc - Kastania (by Gone West)     Tattersalls     November     50,000gns
Bc - Katy Spirit (by Invincible Spirit)     Goffs     November     €20,000 (p/s)
Chf - Laurelei (by Oratorio)     Goffs     November     €5,500
Bc - Long Face (by Whywhywhy)     Tattersalls     November     47,000gns
Bf - Louves Des Reves (by Sadler's Wells)     Arqana     December     €11,000
Chc - Miss Ellany (by Kodiac)     Goffs     November     withdrawn
Bc - Miss Lacey (by Diktat)     Tattersalls     November     not sold
Bf - Missisipi Star (by Mujahid)     Tattersalls     November     47,000gns
Bf - Misskinta (by Desert Sun)     Tattersalls     November     50,000gns
Bc - Moon Empress (by Rainbow Quest)     Goffs     November     €56,000
Bc - Ms Grande Corniche (by Pivotal)     Goffs     November     withdrawn
Bf - Praskovia (by Manduro)     Goffs     November     not sold
Bc - Red Blossom (by Green Desert)     Goffs     November     €65,000
Chf - Shake The Moon (by Loup Solitaire)     Goffs     November     €28,000
Chc - Skimmia (by Mark Of Esteem)     Tattersalls     November     40,000gns
Bc - Solina (by Acatenango)     Arqana     December     not sold
Bc - South Atlantic (by Stormy Atlantic)     Goffs     November     €30,000
Bc - Tea Blossom (by Rail Link)     Tattersalls     November     2,000gns
Bc - Trip To Glory (by Where Or When)     Arqana     December     ​not sold
Bf - Wild Storm (by Dubawi)     Tattersalls     December     20,000gns (p/s)
Grc - Wylye (by Dalakhani)     Tattersalls     November     ​not sold