The first, third and fourth from Epsom all meet again after the Derby form was given a boost by the imposing runner-up King Of Steel when winning the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot. Three sons of Galileo take on six of his grandsons, while five Aidan O'Brien-trained runners face one trained by each of his sons, Joseph and Donnacha.
AUGUSTE RODIN (Ire)
Deep Impact (Jpn) – Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Owner: Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Westerberg
Breeder: Coolmore
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Pedigree notes: The Derby winner hails the final crop of Japanese superstar Deep Impact and from a family which is not short on speed, his third dam being the King's Stand S. winner Casandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}). Her offspring include Auguste Rodin's grand-dam, the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Nassau S. winner Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), as well as Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the dam of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). Halfway To Heaven's repeated matings with Galileo (Ire) produced not only the brilliant Magical (Ire) but also the treble Group 1 winner Rhododendron, and Auguste Rodin is the latter's first foal. The one to beat.
SAN ANTONIO (Ire)
Dubawi (Ire) – Rain Goddess (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Owner: Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Westerberg
Breeder: Coolmore
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Pedigree notes: The Dubawi-Galileo cross has yielded the 2,000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder (Ire) and Horse of the Year Ghaiyyath (Ire). San Antonio is the second foal of Rain Goddess, who was second in the Irish Oaks, a long way behind Enable (GB), and won the G3 Snow Fairy Fillies S. Her grand-dam Virginia Waters won the 1,000 Guineas and was fourth in the Oaks. Winner of the Listed Dee Stakes, San Antonio was last seen finishing 11th of 14 in the Derby.
ADELAIDE RIVER (Ire)
Australia (GB) – Could It Be Love (War Front)
Owner: Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg
Breeder: Coolmore
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Pedigree notes: Adelaide River's dam's sole win was at seven furlongs, with the best performance of her life coming when finishing runner-up to Alpha Centauri (Ire) in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. The mare is a half-sister to the American champion juvenile and Coolmore sire Uncle Mo, and this is her first foal. He ran eighth in the Derby after finishing runner-up in the Chester Vase and is unlikely to play any more than a supporting role here.
PROUD AND REGAL (Ire)
Galileo (Ire) – Simply Perfect (GB) (Danehill)
Owner: Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Westerberg
Breeder: Coolmore
Trainer: Donnacha O'Brien
Pedigree notes: Brother to Group 3 winner Mekong River (Ire) and Group 3-placed Simply Beautiful (Ire), his dam was a top-class miler for Jeremy Noseda, winning the G1 Fillies' Mile and G1 Falmouth S. and placing in the 1,000 Guineas. She was herself out of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. runner-up Hotelgenie Dot Com (GB) (Selkirk), whose half-sister Bianca Nera (GB) (Salse) won that same race. The winner of last year's G1 Criterium International, Proud And Regal was subsequently seventh in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. Improvement needed if he is to make his mark here.
SPREWELL (Ire)
Churchill (Ire) – Lahaleeb (Ire) (Redback {GB})
Owner: Mohamed Khalid Mohamed Abdulrahim
Breeder: Khalid Abdul Rahaim
Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Pedigree notes: Bred by Khalid Abdul Rahaim, who enjoyed great success on the track with his dam Lahaleeb (Ire), winner of the GI EP Taylor S. Sprewell, who finished fourth in the Derby, is the highest-rated runner for the mare and races in the colours of his breeder's son Mohamed Khalid Mohamed Abdulrahim. Like White Birch, he hails from a family cultivated by Cheveley Park Stud, where his unraced granddam Flames (GB) (Blushing Flame) was bred.
COVENT GARDEN (Ire)
Galileo (Ire) – Inca Princess (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire})
Owner: Westerberg, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith
Breeder: Coolmore
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Pedigree notes: His dam has now produced six black-type performers by Galileo, led by the juvenile Group 1 winner Johannes Vermeer (Ire). Inca Princess won a six-furlong maiden in just three starts and is a daughter of the G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Miletrian (Ire) (Marju {Ire}). The outsider of the field, Covent Garden won a Tipperary maiden over nine furlongs last October and was third to Peking Opera in the Yeats S. on his only start this term.
UP AND UNDER (Fr)
Lope De Vega (Ire) – Hibiscus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Owner: Go Racing Limited
Breeder: Floors Stud
Trainer Joseph O'Brien
Sales history: A 220,000gns Tattersalls December Foal from the Floors Stud dispersal, the colt was bought back as a yearling by Yeomanstown Stud at Book 1 and then reoffered at Arqana's Breeze-up Sale, where he fetched €135,000 in a private transaction.
Pedigree notes: His listed-placed dam is a sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line Of Duty (Ire) and half to G2 Great Voltigeur runner-up Secret State (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Granddam Jacqueline Quest (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) finished first past the post in the 1,000 Guineas but was demoted to second for interference. Up And Under has Group 3 placings behind both Sprewell and White Birch. Still a maiden, he looks useful but this is quite a stiff task.
WHITE BIRCH (GB)
Ulysses (Ire) – Diagnostic (GB) (Dutch Art {GB})
Owner: Mrs C C Regalado-Gonzalez
Breeder: Cheveley Park Stud
Trainer: John Joseph Murphy
Sales history: 75,000gns Tattersalls December Foals; 48,000gns (not sold) Tattersalls October Book 2 Yearlings.
Pedigree notes: Bred by Cheveley Park Stud, he was bought by Tally-Ho Stud as a foal but didn't reach his reserve at the yearling sales. Subsequently bought privately by his trainer, he has since changed hands to Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez and has run with great credit to be placed in both the Derby and the Dante. His dam was a multiple winner over six and seven furlongs from a family which includes the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. winner Clinical (GB) (Motivator {GB}).
PEKING OPERA (Ire)
Galileo (Ire) – Bugle (War Front)
Breeder: Premier Bloodstock
Owner: Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg
Trainer Aidan O'Brien
Pedigree notes: His Stone Farm-bred dam is a sister to the dual Group 1-wining juvenile Air Force Blue and her first foal, Yee Haw (Ire), by Frankel (GB), is a winner in France. Further family also includes GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Flanders (Seeking The Gold). Winner of a mile maiden at two, then the Listed Yeats S. on resumption at three, Peking Opera was seventh last Wednesday in the G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot.
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