In a G1 Pertemps St Leger story of twists and turns, the joy of Tom Marquand counterbalanced despair for Shane Crosse as Galileo Chrome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) battled to glory in the oldest Classic at Doncaster on Saturday. In the fortnight that had passed since his command performance in Navan’s Listed Yeats S., there had been a sizeable gamble on the Joseph O’Brien runner from 25-1 into a starting price of 4-1 and a remarkable positive COVID-19 test returned on regular rider Shane Crosse. Marquand, who had suffered some slings and arrows himself when jocked off English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) for the Derby earlier in the season, seemed the perfect beneficiary as a result and also proved up to the task as he lifted the Irish raider past Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}) in the final 100 yards for a neck success. Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) held on for third despite the petrol gauge being empty, while the 5-2 favourite Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) travelled like the certain winner throughout but could only manage fourth. “This is a dream come true. Obviously, I genuinely feel terrible for Shane because under such circumstances I can’t imagine what heartbreak that would bring,” Marquand said. “He’s in a similar boat to me in that that would have been a first Classic for him and I know how much that means to me. The racing game is a leveller and it was a case of me being in the right place at the right time. I was extremely lucky just to get the ride, which was a great story in itself, but to win it is something else.”
As if any proof were needed, this result is further confirmation that Joseph O’Brien will be a force in the training ranks for some years to come. This outcome, in the race in which he was denied Triple Crown glory on Camelot (GB) in 2012 only to come back victorious with Leading Light (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) a year later, means that at the age of 27 he has already matched the achievement of the legendary Harry Wragg in riding and training a St Leger winner. Galileo Chrome has crept up on this scene with stealth, avoiding the traditional trials such as the Gordon or the Voltigeur, but there was a distinct measure of Classic class in the manner of his five-length success in the Yeats over 13 furlongs on testing ground. Earlier this summer, the bay had been forced to sidestep the June 27 G1 Irish Derby due to a stone bruise having won the 10-furlong Curragh maiden June 12 in which Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was fifth. Next seen winning a conditions race by six lengths over the same trip at Leopardstown July 31, he emerged from his first black-type test at Navan with true Leger credentials.
Admirably straightforward as well as talented, Galileo Chrome was able to glide into a mid-division pitch from the widest stall as Mythical (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) pressed Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) on the lead. As it turned out, Marquand was tracking the right rival in Berkshire Rocco as they straightened for home but Frankie was on the tail of Galileo Chrome travelling with a double-handful on Santiago, who had shown Berkshire Rocco a clean pair of heels in the G2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. With 3 1/2 furlongs remaining, racing room was suddenly at a premium for the eventual winner, who was starting to feel the pinch and as Santiago shut the door to his right Marquand was forced to dive inside for his run. Two out, there were five across the Town Moor track matching strides as Santiago, Berkshire Rocco, Galileo Chrome, Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Pyledriver created a dramatic spectacle. Hukum cracked first, while a tiring Pyledriver rolled towards the far rail which left the Irish pair to duel with the proven stayer Berkshire Rocco in between passing the furlong pole. With Santiago at full stretch and unable to sustain the battle, Galileo Chrome forged on to deny Andrea Atzeni on the gallant Andrew Balding trainee in an epic renewal which is certain to stand the test of time.
“If I had 20 goes at it, I wouldn’t be able to do it again,” added the winning rider, who had registered his first wins at this level on Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) in the Ranvet and Queen Elizabeth S. this Spring and who would have been riding English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) had he not been switched to ParisLongchamp by Ed Walker. “Stall 12 is normally a sticky draw and it is credit to him and his ability that there wasn’t really a moment’s worry. When you get instructions from someone like Joseph, who you know has been here and done it, you know it’s reliable and he told me to be mid-division or closer as long as he was comfortable in himself. You have to have the right horse and I knew beforehand that he would be comfortable going this trip, as in the listed race he had powered to the line.”
Reflecting on recent months, Marquand added, “Time and time again it’s all fallen my way. I lost English King in the Derby and gained Khalifa Sat and finished second. Then I got English King back for today and he ended up going to France for a more favourable race and I can’t go there as I’d have to do the week’s quarantine after. Then Shane Crosse’s misfortune means that this has ended up in my lap. It’s been an incredible run this year, with those two Australian group 1s earlier on while there was a lockdown in England–it’s the luck of the draw and things have gone from strength to strength since. It is a hard game it’s hard to win a group 1 on home soil, let alone a Classic.”
Joseph O’Brien was restricted to staying at home due to the complications of Shane Crosse’s positive test and said, “Shane obviously had been in the yard during the week, so just as a precaution any of his close contacts are in the process of being tested and I just haven’t gone racing to err on the side of caution really. But I’m enjoying the racing! I’m lucky enough to be able to watch it from home.”
Andrew Balding was narrowly denied a second Kingsclere Classic winner in 2020 and said of Berkshire Rocco, “I would have settled for that beforehand. He wears his heart on his sleeve and kept digging in, but it wasn’t quite enough. There were no hiding places and no excuses–Andrea gave him a lovely ride. It’s a race we all want to win and we are getting closer, so we’ll keep going. It’s fantastic to run so well in a Classic–he has some options and there is a race in France, but we’ll see if he runs again this season.” Martin Dwyer said of Pyledriver, “He didn’t stay. He was slightly over-racing, but had everything beat at the two and didn’t see it out. He was getting tired towards the finish. It was a super run and he’s lost nothing in defeat. He can come back to a mile and a half and maybe even a mile and a quarter, as he has the speed for it. He’s such a nice horse and he’s going to be even better next year. It was a gamble worth trying, being the last Classic he could run in, and he was the last one off the bridle so I think there’s a group 1 win in him. This was unnatural for him. There was a point in the race where I should have been working through the gears and picking up, but I’m having to steady him down. He was out of his comfort zone.”
Dettori said of Santiago, “He wants a bit of cut in the ground. He came there to win, but he didn’t level off like I thought he would. I felt on softer ground mine would be a better horse.” Hukum’s trainer Owen Burrows said of the fifth, “It was just the last furlong and a half. He was out on his head a bit. He stayed at Newbury, but in lesser company. In this class it was a bit too far for him. We always thought he wasn’t a Cup horse. We’ll look forward to next year.”
Galileo Chrome’s family includes a trio who have already played bit parts in the St Leger story, with his dam Curious Mind (GB) (Dansili {GB}) being a half-sister to Michelangelo (GB) by Australia’s sire Galileo (Ire) who was third in the aforementioned renewal in which Camelot lost out to Encke (Kingmambo). Two years earlier, another relative Midas Touch (GB) also by Galileo had run second in this, while his half-sister Coronet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was fifth in one of the better renewals three years ago. The second dam, the dual listed-placed Intrigued (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) was also responsible for Private Secretary (GB) (Kingman {GB}) who like Michelangelo took the Listed Cocked Hat S. She is a daughter of the G2 Nassau S. and G2 Sun Chariot S. winner Last Second (Ire) (Alzao), who in turn produced the sire Aussie Rules who captured the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains and GI Shadwell Turf Mile. Last Second also threw the listed scorer Approach (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), who is the dam of the aforementioned G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud heroine Coronet and Midas Touch who was also runner-up in the G1 Irish Derby.
Last Second is kin to Alleluia (GB) (Caerleon), who won the G3 Doncaster Cup at this meeting before producing the G1 Prix Royal Oak scorer Allegretto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the listed-winning and group-placed pair of full-sisters Arrikala (Ire) and Alouette (GB) by Darshaan (GB). Alouette produced the dual G1 Champion S. heroine Alborada (GB) and the triple German group 1 scorer Alborada (GB) from matings with Last Second’s sire Alzao and both have proven special broodmares for Kirsten Rausing. Also connected to Sadler’s Wells’ high-class full-sisters Yesterday (Ire) and Quarter Moon (Ire), Curious Mind also has a yearling full-sister to Galileo Chrome who was led out unsold at €70,000 at last year’s Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale. Her colt foal is by Dream Ahead.
Saturday, Doncaster, Britain
PERTEMPS ST LEGER S.-G1, £350,000, Doncaster, 9-12, 3yo, 14f 115yT, 3:01.94, gd.
1–GALILEO CHROME (IRE), 127, c, 3, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Curious Mind (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Intrigued (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Last Second (Ire), by Alzao
1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€75,000 RNA Ylg ’18 GOFOR). O-Galileo Chrome Partnership; B-Mohamed Ali Meddeb (IRE); T-Joseph O’Brien; J-Tom Marquand. £198,485. Lifetime Record: SW-Ire, 5-4-0-0, $313,148. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Berkshire Rocco (Fr), 127, c, 3, Sir Percy (GB)–Sunny Again (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). (€35,000 Wlg ’17 ARQDE; €50,000 Ylg ’18 GOFOR). O-Berkshire Parts & Panels Ltd; B-S.A.G.L. Seserve (FR); T-Andrew Balding. £75,250.
3–Pyledriver (GB), 127, c, 3, Harbour Watch (Ire)–La Pyle (Fr), by Le Havre (Ire). (10,000gns RNA Wlg ’17 TATFOA). O-La Pyle Partnership; B-Knox & Wells Ltd & R Devlin (GB); T-William Muir. £37,660.
Margins: NK, 1, NO. Odds: 4.00, 16.00, 4.50.
Also Ran: Santiago (Ire), Hukum (Ire), Dawn Patrol (Ire), Subjectivist (GB), Sunchart (GB), Tyson Fury (GB), Mythical (Fr), Mohican Heights (Ire). Scratched: English King (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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