AUSTRALIA (GB) - 2011 chestnut horse
Galileo's status as one of the greatest stallions of all times is without question and now that his earliest sons and daughters at stud are coming up with Group 1 winners too he may be on the verge of forging his own dynasty.
Of course, not every one of his sons is going to become a leading sire, but so far Teofilo and New Approach have sired European classic winners, and each of Cima De Triomphe, Heliostatic, Rip Van Winkle, Roderic O'Connor and Soldier Of Fortune has got at least one winner at the highest level somewhere among the world's Category I countries. His great son Frankel made an outstanding start as a freshman sire of 2016, and the string of Galileo stallions at earlier stages of their stud careers includes the dual Derby hero Australia. The Coolmore Stud team member covered 178 mares in his first season, only a handful of his first foals will appear in an auction ring over the coming weeks, and he is one of the most exciting individuals among this group of sires. Timeform-rated 116p at two, following his impressive defeat of Free Eagle in a Group 3 contest at Leopardstown, he finished third in a particularly strong edition of the Group 1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket before going on to take both the Derby and Irish Derby in style. He added victory in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes and was not seen out again after his shock neck defeat by The Grey Gatsby, the colt he beat by two lengths at York, in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
His Timeform rating of 132 put him 2lbs behind his dual Derby-winning sire Galileo (by Sadler's Wells) and 7lbs ahead of his outstanding dam Ouija Board (by Cape Cross), the dual Oaks and dual Breeders' Cup heroine whose career tally of 10 wins also featured the Prince of Wales's Stakes, Hong Kong Vase and Nassau Stakes.
Her first foal is the Australian Group 3-winning gelding Voodoo Prince (by Kingmambo) and she was the best of two blacktype earners for her dam, Selection Board (by Welsh Pageant). The next dam is the Group 3 Falmouth Stakes fourth Ouija (by Silly Season) and although the plethora of pattern winners that descend from that mare do not contain any notable sires, that should not detract from Australia's potential. Most of those major winners have been fillies, and they include the classic-placed Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Roseate Tern (by Blakeney), mile Group 1 star Red Bloom (by Selkirk), German classic scorer Full Rose (by Aqlaam) and the classic-placed pattern winner Red Camellia (by Polar Falcon). There are, of course, males among the family's big winners, but Grade 1-placed stakes winner Red Fort (by Green Desert) was a gelding, as was the outstanding Teleprompter. A full-brother to Australia's grandam Selection Board, Teleprompter was one of a handful of top-class geldings who were pivotal in bringing about an end to the barring of his type from Group 1 events in England and Ireland, and although he did not win one here, he did take the Grade 1 Arlington Million across the Atlantic. His half-sister Rosia Bay (by High Top), dam of the aforementioned Roseate Tern, was also responsible for the four-times Group 1 star Ibn Bey (by Mill Reef), and it is a little surprising that in the Breeders' Cup coverage each year, when European dirt performances come up for discussion, that his second-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic is not mentioned. Ibn Bey did spend time at stud but, in common with most sons of the great Mill Reef (by Never Bend) – Shirley Heights and his male line descendants being the notable exception - he failed to make an impact in that role. That should not be held as a mark against Australia as their actual relationship is somewhat distant and the younger chestnut represents a male line that has become a powerful force, one that has been as successful as the Mill Reef one was disappointing. Australia will, of course, get two-year-old winners as a freshman in 2018 and it is likely that there will be some blacktype earners among them. It is as three-year-old and older horses, however, that most of his offspring will be seen to best effect, and with his combination of race record, pedigree and breeder support, there is every reason to hope that he not waste much time in adding his name to the growing list of Galileo stallions getting at least one winner at the highest level. AUSTRALIA (GB) – ch.2011 – Galileo – Ouija Board, 5 wins inc Derby (Gr1), Irish Derby (Gr1), Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr1), Golden Fleece Stakes (Gr3), 2nd Irish Champion Stakes (Gr1), 3rd 2000 Guineas (Gr1). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2016.
FOALS CATALOGUED (updated)
bc – Artful (by Green Desert) Tattersalls Nov withdrawn chf – Caserta (by Dansili) Tattersalls Nov 300,000gns bf - Esperita (by Iffraaj) Arqana Dec withdrawn chc – Fabulous Steed (by Silver Hawk) Tattersalls Nov not sold bf - Glicine (by Tiger Hill) Arqana Dec not sold bc – Happy Holly (by Holy Roman Emperor) Tattersalls Nov withdrawn chc – Kittens (by Marju) Tattersalls Nov 40,000gns bc – Lady Gloria (by Diktat) Tattersalls Nov 60,000gns chf – Peace Palace (by Archipenko) Tattersalls Nov withdrawn bc – Rock Kristal (by Fastnet Rock) Tattersalls Nov 100,000gns chc – Sitara (by Salse) Tattersalls Nov 165,000gns bc - Tocqueville (by Numerous) Arqana Dec €120,000 bf – Wadjeka (by Oasis Dream) Tattersalls Nov 33,000gns Comments are closed.
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