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Leger Triumph For Australia’s Galileo Chrome

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.

The post Leger Triumph For Australia’s Galileo Chrome appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Global Sensation Con Te Partiro To Return To Keeneland For Breeders’ Cup, November Sale

Keeneland is excited to welcome Con Te Partiro – who began her career at Keeneland before winning stakes in the U.S. and at Royal Ascot in England and capturing two Group 1 races in Australia – back home for a start in the Breeders' Cup World Championships on Nov. 6-7 and then offer her during the premier Book 1 of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale on Nov. 9.

The 6-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy, who will be cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect, will be consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent.

With starts at 14 tracks on three continents over five seasons of racing, Con Te Partiro has a story unlike any other Thoroughbred.

“Con Te Partiro has excelled at the highest level of international racing while she has exemplified just how small the global Thoroughbred industry is,” Keeneland President-Elect and Interim Head of Sales Shannon Arvin said. “We are thrilled to hold a Keeneland homecoming for Con Te Partiro. She sold as a yearling at the September Sale and she began her racing career here during the 2016 Spring Meet. We look forward to presenting her at the November Sale with all the fanfare she deserves.”

Owned by SF Bloodstock and trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Con Te Partiro this year has won two Group 1 events: the 7 1/2-furlong Coolmore Classic and one-mile Coolmore Legacy. Last year at five, Con Te Partiro won a Group 3 race in her Australian debut.

“It is remarkable to reflect on what Con Te Partiro has achieved in her racing career,” Waterhouse said. “It is a rare feat in itself to win stakes races on three continents, but it is her performances at the elite level in Australia for which she will be remembered. Con Te Partiro won both of the time-honored Group 1 races, the Coolmore Classic and the Coolmore Legacy, making her, arguably, the best-performed mare in Australia.”

“Con Te Partiro truly is a one-of-a-kind mare,” said Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock. “Her accomplishments on the track – including two Grade 1 wins in Australia, stakes victories at both the Royal Ascot and Saratoga race meets and successes on both dirt and turf – put her in an elite category of racehorses with the ability to perform at the highest level around the world.

“We purchased her in 2018 as a beautiful stakes-winning filly by Scat Daddy from the family of Into Mischief, and we are proud to say she has exceeded all expectations since.”

Con Te Partiro's return to Keeneland will come 4 1/2 years after she opened her career here with a dominating 5 1/2-length victory on dirt as a 2-year-old for trainer Wesley Ward and owner Hat Creek Racing. Transferred to turf, she won the Bolton Landing at Saratoga by 5 3/4 lengths and was second against males in the Juvenile Turf Sprint on the 2016 Breeders' Cup undercard at Santa Anita.

Her 3-year-old campaign included a trip to England, where she won the Sandringham at the prestigious Royal Ascot meet, and she raced in Grade 1 stakes at Del Mar and Keeneland. The next season, she was third in the G3 Arlington Matron in Chicago.

While boasting a unique race record, Con Te Partiro hails from an active, well-known family. Her sire, Scat Daddy, is the sire of such prominent horses as undefeated 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify and European champion and Royal Ascot winner Lady Aurelia.

Con Te Partiro is out of the Grade 1-placed Street Cry mare Temple Street and hails from a Grade 1-producing female family. She is a half-sister to stakes winner and multiple graded stakes-placed Donworth and is from the extended family of four-time champion Beholder, Grade 1 winner Mendelssohn and Grade 1 winner and leading sire Into Mischief.

In addition, Con Te Partiro is from a commercially successful family with half-siblings selling for as much as $550,000. She herself is a graduate of Keeneland's September Yearling Sale.

The post Global Sensation Con Te Partiro To Return To Keeneland For Breeders’ Cup, November Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Elzaam’s Champers Elysees Swoops In the Matron

Rapidly-progressive in 2020, Fitzwilliam Racing’s Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) sealed her upwardly mobile status with an authoritative success in Leopardstown’s G1 Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron S. on Saturday. Providing Johnny Murtagh with a breakthrough first top-level success, the July 28 Listed Corrib Fillies S. and Sept. 2 G3 Fairy Bridge S. winner had plenty to do turning for home but produced an impressive flourish to cut down Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 100 yards from the line. Soon clear under Colin Keane, the 9-2 shot had 1 1/4 lengths to spare over that G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner at the line, with Peaceful 1 1/2 lengths ahead of the 9-4 favourite Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in third. “The plan was to be third or thereabouts early on, but there was plenty of pace on early doors and I was happy with where I was,” jockey Colin Keane said. “I had to sit and suffer, but they came back to me turning into the straight and she has a very good turn of foot. I thought she was a good winner at the line. I remember being disappointed walking away from the Curragh one day when she beat me in a handicap, but it’s amazing when these fillies start to progress where they can end up. Johnny Murtagh is a fellow Meath man and was one of my idols growing up, so it’s great to do this for him.”

That Curragh handicap that Keane referred to is the seven-furlong one June 12 that marked the seasonal debut of Champers Elysees off a mark of 86, having gone into winter quarters on the back of a runner-up finish in Naas’s “Birdcatcher” nursery over that trip in October. Taking the Corrib by seven lengths at the Galway festival, the bay followed up in the Fairy Bridge over another half a furlong at Gowran Park to earn this tilt but as impressive as those performances were there was little suggestion she could deal out such a beating to two Classic winners in Peaceful and Fancy Blue and several other talented distaffers. Qatar Racing’s July 1 G3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies S. winner and Aug. 2 G1 Prix Rothschild third Know It All (GB) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) was fourth, framing an almost-perfect picture for Murtagh.

“Group 1s are hard to come by, so it’s a marvellous day and just shows you need a bit of luck and to be in the right place at the right time,” her trainer said. “Earlier in the year, she was almost sold and had passed all the tests but it fell through as she was judged a bad trotter. She is well able to gallop and they went a good pace all the way. It was a good even pace and she has that very good turn of foot. She can go on most going, but when they have that turn of foot I always find they prefer better ground than soft. She has a great heart and wants to win. Know It All maybe just got outstayed in the last half a furlong, but to be first and fourth is amazing. I was sick of everyone saying you’d had a great career as a jockey, that was in the past, it’s the here and now I’m worried about. It’s been a brilliant year, but to win a group one on Champions Weekend means everything. This is not for Johnny Murtagh, this is for the whole team and this end result makes all the work worthwhile.”

Champers Elysees could have at least one other outing this year according to her trainer. “This was always a good filly and the amount she has improved is unbelievable,” he added. “She’s improved a lot physically and has started to realise she’s good. She’s won a handicap, listed race, group Three and now a group one. When these fillies start improving there’s no stopping them and this race was always the plan. The Breeders’ Cup Mile is an option, the mile around there would suit her down to the ground as she’s quick and has a great turn of foot. There is also the [G1] Sun Chariot at Newmarket.”

Champers Elysees’ dam La Cuvee (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) is a daughter of the G3 Goldene Peitsche-winning German champion Premiere Cuvee (GB) (Formidable), who was also second in the G3 Prix du Gros-Chene. She produced the Listed Fern Hill S. winner Cask (GB) (Be My Chief) and She Bat (GB) (Batshoof {GB}), who took the G3 Premio Sergio Cumani before throwing four black-type performers of her own including the G2 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas) third She Basic (Ire) (Desert Prince {Ire}). Premiere Cuvee is a half-sister to another Fern Hill winner in Fizzed (GB) (Efisio {GB}) who was also runner-up in the G2 Prix d’Astarte and her full-sister Swizzle (GB), who produced the G3 Premio Parioli scorer Al Rep (Ire) (Trade Fair {GB}). Also connected to the G1 Prix Jean Prat-winning sire Dick Turpin (Ire) (Arakan), the dam has the unraced 2-year-old colt Performance Plus (Ire) (Alhebayeb {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Mehmas (Ire) who is catalogued to sell in next Monday’s session of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
COOLMORE AMERICA ‘JUSTIFY’ MATRON S.-G1, €250,000, Leopardstown, 9-12, 3yo/up, f, 8fT, 1:39.77, gd.
1–CHAMPERS ELYSEES (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Elzaam (Aus)
1st Dam: La Cuvee (GB), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
2nd Dam: Premiere Cuvee (GB), by Formidable
3rd Dam: Clicquot (Ire), by Bold Lad (Ire)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€12,500 Wlg ’17 TATFBR; €28,000 Ylg ’18 TIRSEP; €95,000 RNA 2yo ’19 GOFHIT). O-Fitzwilliam Racing; B-Karl Bowen (IRE); T-Johnny Murtagh; J-Colin Keane. €150,000. Lifetime Record: 9-5-2-1, $305,753. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Peaceful (Ire), 128, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Missvinski, by Stravinsky. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €50,000.
3–Fancy Blue (Ire), 128, f, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Chenchikova (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Donnacha O’Brien. €25,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1HF, HD. Odds: 4.50, 2.74, 2.25.
Also Ran: Know It All (GB), Albigna (Ire), Valeria Messalina (Ire), So Wonderful, Lady Wannabe (Ire), New York Girl (Ire), Wilds Dreams (Arg), Love Locket (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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