The Circle Of Life

By Alan Conway

In the midst of the celebrations that took place last Sunday at the Curragh following the victory of Treasure Beach in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby you could be forgiven for letting your mind wander back to the same day 10 years previously.

It was on that day that Galileo landed his second Derby in three weeks after he blitzed his rivals in the Epsom equivalent. He followed up at the Curragh in devastating style and looked every inch the champion that he was acclaimed to be.

Now through his deeds at stud Galileo is carving out a legacy that in time could challenge his sire, the mighty Sadler’s Wells. When he retired to stud Galileo had all the tools required to make it as a future champion sire.

His race record was almost flawless. He only lost two races in his career, first when only losing out by a nostril to Fantastic Light in that never to be forgotten Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and second when he ran down the field when racing on dirt for the first and only time in his career in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Along with his racing record he had one of the finest pedigrees in the stud book. By Sadler’s Wells he was out of the Arc winner Urban Sea. That pedigree would be glistened even further eight years after Galileo retired to stud when his half brother Sea The Stars carried all before him in his three-year-old career in 2009.

Yet despite having everything in his favour Galileo was not the instant hit with breeders. At that time Sadler’s Wells was still the main man while Danehill was coming up fast behind him. So there wasn’t room at the top table for Galileo. He would have to earn his place.

As soon as his first crop of two-year-olds hit the track he hasn’t looked backed. He made instant headlines when he sired the champion two-year-old in 2007 Teofilo. He managed to get a second champion two-year-old in a row when New Approach followed in Teofilo’s hoof prints.

He has sired the winners of 40 Group 1 races and 129 European Stakes races thus far in his stud career. This year alone he has sired Frankel, Irish 2000 Guineas winner Roderic O Connor, four time Group 1 winner Misty For Me and dual French classic winner Golden Lilac.

In one year that isn’t a bad return. Yet the excitement lies in the fact that he could get even better. On Sunday John Magnier commented that when Sadler’s Wells and Danehill were around the best bred and most successful mares were kept for that pair. Now that they are no longer around their choice book of mares is going to Galileo.

Victory for Treasure Beach on Sunday could well be the high point in that horse’s career but for his sire it was yet another example of how deeply talented he is as a stallion. The circle of life was in evidence at the Curragh on Sunday with the finest of blood being carried on by the next generation.

By Alan Conway