Dark Angel’s Angel Bleu Pounces For Vintage Success

With overnight soft-ground conditions deteriorating to heavy, Tuesday's G2 Unibet Vintage S. was shorn of G2 July S. victor and likely protagonist Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) on a card struck by multiple scratchings. Step forward Marc Chan's Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who followed up a one-length second in Saturday's Listed Pat Eddery S. to post a career high in Glorious Goodwood's day one juvenile feature. The 10-3 second choice and Ralph Beckett trainee had previously finished 13th behind the reopposing Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) when contesting Royal Ascot's June 15 G2 Coventry S. and raced in fourth through halfway as that rival settled at the tail of the field. Making continued headway in the straight, he quickened smartly for his challenge entering the final furlong and was ridden out to withstand the late surge of 13-8 favourite Berkshire Shadow by 3/4-of-a-length for a career high.

“[Last] Saturday [at Ascot] went well, although he was a little keen and Frankie [Dettori] got off him and said he thinks the horse needs a little break,” explained trainer Ralph Beckett. “I had a chat with the owners and we decided that we should geld him, give him a holiday and send him to Hong Kong, where the owner has a permit to run horses, in the autumn. However, he bounced up the yard on Sunday morning so I told the owner that I think we should declare for Tuesday and I could hardly believe my luck when I saw the rain coming down overnight. I am not sure America would suit him as he likes a bit of juice. He is 2-out-of-2 on soft ground and I would say that we would maybe think about the [G1] Dewhurst S. and [G1 Vincent O'Brien Goffs] National S. now.”

Dettori added, “He was sweaty and keen when I rode him on Saturday so I told Ralph to give him a break as he was a bit over the top. I told [owner] Marc Chan that I'd told Ralph to give him a break and then Ralph calls me Sunday morning saying he's declared him for Goodwood on Tuesday. I wonder what Marc thinks of me after the horse goes and wins as well. Horses make a fool of you, but a combination of running round the turn and soft ground made a difference. He loved it.”

Reflecting on the performance of runner-up Berkshire Shadow, Oisin Murphy said, “He relaxed very well, but the pace was slow. He took a while to wind up and, when he did get going, he hit the line really well. He probably wants better ground and is a miler in the making.”

Angel Bleu, half-brother to a yearling colt by Siyouni (Fr), is the first of two foals produced by a full-sister to MG1SW sire Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won this contest in 2014,  MG1SP G2 Great Voltigeur S. and G2 Hardwicke S. victor Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Caulfield S. hero Cape of Good Hope (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The February-foaled bay's G1 Australia Oaks-winning third dam Circles of Gold (Aus) (Marscay {Aus}) threw MG1SW Australian champions Elvstroem (Aus) (Danehill) and Haradasun (Aus) (Fusaichi Pegasus).

Tuesday, Goodwood, Britain
UNIBET VINTAGE S.-G2, £150,000, Goodwood, 7-27, 2yo, 7fT, 1:32.85, sf.
1–ANGEL BLEU (FR), 127, c, 2, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Cercle de La Vie (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Hveger (Aus), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Circles of Gold (Aus), by Marscay (Aus)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€120,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY). O-Marc Chan; B-Pan Sutong Racing Bloodstock (FR); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £85,065. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-1, $150,212. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Berkshire Shadow (GB), 130, c, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Angel Vision (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). (40,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Berkshire Parts & Panels Ltd No1 Fanclub; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £32,250.
3–Austrian Theory (Ire), 127, c, 2, Awtaad (Ire)–Cedar Sea (Ire), by Persian Bold (Ire). (30,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Dr Jim Walker; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd & P A Byrne (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £16,140.
Margins: 3/4, 1, 3HF. Odds: 3.33, 1.63, 16.00.
Also Ran: The Acropolis (Ire), Eldrickjones (Ire), Secret Strength (Ire). Scratched: Lusail (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Oxted Sidelined, Has Surgery

Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}), who doubled his Group 1 tally with a victory in the G1 King's Stand S. this year at Royal Ascot, will sit out the remainder of the season after having surgery to remove a knee chip.

Trainer Roger Teal said the chip has been there for some time, but the decision was made to remove it after the gelding's third-place finish in his attempt to defend his title in the G1 July Cup on July 10.

“We've always known he's had a floating chip which hasn't been a problem, but after he hung in the July Cup we sent him for an MRI scan,” said Teal. “You could actually see on the scan that the chip had moved and it was just between the joints, so the best thing was to have it removed as it had just gone in the wrong place. The fact he's a gelding means we are here for a long time, not a short time, so we all decided to have it removed now and hopefully he can have time to recover for next season.

“The surgery went well, there's no cartilage damage and because he only had one race left this season, we didn't want to risk him if it was in the wrong place. He's home, he's happy and has had his dressing changed today and it all looks good.”

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Stars Abound In Final Galileo Crops

Two weeks removed from his death at age 23, Galileo (Ire)'s influence was keenly felt in Europe's feature races this weekend. At Ascot, Adayar (GB)-by Galileo's greatest son Frankel (GB)-became the first horse to do the Derby/King George double since Galileo himself accomplished the feat 20 years ago. On the same card, Godolphin's €260,000 Arqana Select purchase New Science (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) stamped himself a 2-year-old to watch with victory in the Listed Pat Eddery S. He is out of a Galileo mare.

Up North at York, horses from the Galileo sireline took up four of the five spots in the starting gate for the card's featured G2 York S., and they filled the first four spots home, too, with Australia (GB)'s Bangkok (Ire) denying Frankel's Juan Elcano (GB) and Mohaafeth (Ire) in a tight finish and Galileo's Armory (Ire) further back in fourth.

With the yearling sales right around the corner, owners, too, will be eagerly anticipating the catalogue releases to see which progeny of Galileo might be on the market. First up is the Arqana August Yearling Sale, where there are four on Aug. 15 and 16, including Haras de Montaigu's half-sister to Derby winner Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}).

The Galileos that show up at public auction, of course, will represent just a small percentage of his 2021 yearling crop, which numbers 100. Some of the standouts of that very deep group include colts out of six-time American Grade I winner and $5-million mare Abel Tasman (Quality Road), the mare's first foal; Again (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), the Classic-winning dam of three stakes horses by Galileo; Dialafara (Fr) (Anabaa), the dam of Classic winner Capri (Ire) and two other stakes horses by Galileo; Pikaboo (GB), the dam of Galileo's 2020 champion 3-year-old filly and 2021 G1 Prince of Wales's S. winner Love (Ire); Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), the first foal for the four-time Group 1-winning mare; Godolphin's Oaks winner and stakes producer Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}); champion 2-year-old filly and 2.1-million gns purchase Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}); dual Group 1 winner Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}); five-time Grade I-winning hurdler Annie Power (Ire) (Shirroco {Ger}); G3 Albany S. winner Different League (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) and G2 Queen Mary S. winner Heartache (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), both purchased by Coolmore at auction for seven figures; and Penchant (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), the dam of Group 1-winning sprinter and sire Garswood (GB).

Fillies from Galileo's current crop of yearlings include the progeny of Classic winner and stakes producer Beauty Parlour (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}); Hazariya (Ire), the dam of dual Derby winner Harzand (Ire) by Galileo's half-brother Sea The Stars (Ire) and four other stakes horses; three-time Group 1 and Classic winner Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}); Life Happened, the dam of G1 Queen Anne S. winner Tepin (Bernstein); Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), a Group 1 winner and dam of Galileo Classic winners Minding (Ire) and Empress Josephine (Ire); Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), the Group 1-winning sprinter and 6-million gns record breaker; another Group 1-winning sprinter in Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}); Meow (Ire) (Storm Cat), dam of dual Guineas winner and young sire Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and his Group 1-winning full-sister Clemmie (Ire); dual Group 1-winning sprinter and 2.1-million gns mare Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}); GI American Oaks winner and $3.5-million purchase Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), her first foal; Jacqueline Quest (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), the disqualified G1 1000 Guineas winner and Grade I producer; and Godolphin's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), her first foal.

A number of those mares returned to the 12-time champion sire the following season, a book that resulted in 87 foals this spring. Producing Galileo colts this year were Amazing Maria, Different League, Hazariya, Legatissimo, Meow, Tiggy Wiggy and Quiet Reflection, while Again, Jacqueline Quest, Mecca's Angel, Penchant and Alpha Centauri foaled fillies.

Triple Group 1 winner Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) produced a Galileo filly this year as her first foal, and she was the lone mare for Godolphin in Galileo's penultimate book. Sheikh Mohammed sent two mares the year prior, and has six homebred 2-year-olds by Galileo.

Other black-type mares to produce their first foals, by Galileo, this year included Fleeting (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Signora Cabello (Ire), who both had fillies.

Other noteworthy mares to produce foals by Galileo this year include G2 Queen Mary S. scorer Acapulco (Scat Daddy), who had a colt; Group 1 producer Beauty Is Truth (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and her daughter Fire Lily (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), who both had colts; Chintz (Ire), who produced a full-sister to dual Group 1-winning miler The Gurkha (Ire); Danedrop (Ire) (Danehill), who foaled a half-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. victress Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}); Devoted To You (Ire), whose colt is a full-brother to G1 Irish Derby winner Sovereign (Ire); Kheleyf's Silver (Ire), who produced a half-brother to Tiggy Wiggy; American champion Lady Eli (Divine Park), who produced a colt; Palace (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who foaled a full-brother to this year's one-time Derby favourite High Definition (Ire); Peter Brant's $3.6-million mare Quidura (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who foaled a colt; Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab), whose filly is a full-sister to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Found (Ire) as well as Best In The World (Ire), dam of this year's top 3-year-old filly Snowfall (Jpn) and Divinely (Ire), who hit the board in both the English and Irish Oaks; Strawberry Fledge (Kingmambo), whose colt is a half-brother to Group 1 winner and two-time Arc placegetter Cloth Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}); and Coolmore's $8-million G1 Queen Anne S. winner Tepin, who foaled a filly.

The steady march of summer into autumn means that we are likely to soon starting seeing what the latest crop of Galileo 2-year-olds has in store. Galileo has had eight starters from his current crop of juveniles with three placed including Minding (Ire) and Empress Josephine (Ire)'s full-sister Tuesday (Ire), who split Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire})'s full-sister Discoveries (Ire) and last weekend's smart maiden winner Mise Le Meas (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) when second at The Curragh on June 25. Galileo's 2018 book of mares was, naturally, as star-studded as ever, and other siblings to Classic winners gearing up for their debuts include Toy (Ire), the eighth foal and eighth Galileo out of the remarkable producer You'resothrilling, and therefore a full-sister to Classic winners Gleneagles (Ire), Marvellous (Ire) and Joan Of Arc (Ire); Downing Street (Ire), a full-brother to last year's Derby winner Serpentine (Ire); Twinkle (Ire), a full-sister to the prior year's Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck (Ire); One Way (Ire), a full-sister to Classic winner and Group 1 producer Misty For Me (Ire) and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac scorer Ballydoyle (Ire); and Gulliver's Travels (Ire), a half-brother to G1 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and exciting 3-year-old filly Philomene (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and full-brother to Group 1 winner Magic Wand (Ire) who cost Coolmore €2-million at Arqana last summer.

Other standouts on pedigree among the current Galileo 2-year-olds are Oriental World (Ire), Godolphin's half-brother to dual G1 Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) and four other stakes winners; Ingres (Ire), a colt who is the first foal out of the triple Group 1 winner Esoterique (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}); Nova Legend (Ire), a half-brother to Group 1-winning juvenile and young sire Shalaa (Ire); Denver (Ire), a full-brother to multiple Group 1-winning mares Magical (Ire) and Rhododendron (Ire); Figlio Del Re (Ire), a colt out of the triple Grade I winner I'm A Chatterbox (Munnings) who has been exported to the U.S.; Electress (GB), a filly who is the third foal out of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Just The Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}); Magical Lagoon (Ire), a half-sister to King George winner Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}); Champagne (Ire), a full-sister to Found, Divinely and Snowfall's dam Best In The World; Skylark (GB), a full-sister to Group 1 winners Mogul (GB) and Japan (GB) who cost Coolmore 3.4-million gns last year; First Emperor (GB), a half-brother to this year's G1 Falmouth S. winner Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}); Astrologia (Ire), the first foal out of the beautifully bred G3 Musidora S. winner So Mi Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}); Georges Seurat (Ire), a colt who is the first foal out of six-time Grade I winner and $6-million mare Stellar Wind (Curlin); General Idea (GB), the second foal out of The Queen's Australian Group 1 winner Sweet Idea (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}); and History (Ire), a filly who is the first foal out of multiple graded stakes winner Prize Exhibit (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) who made 2.8-million gns at Tattersalls last year. Others that have 2-year-olds by Galileo include Beauty Is Truth, Chintz, Dancing Rain, Danedrop, Dialafara, Fire Lily, Life Happened, Quiet Reflection, Tepin and Tiggy Wiggy.

While the loss of Galileo will be heavily felt for years to come, so too will his enduring legacy, not least through his final four crops.

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Atalanta Goal For Saffron Beach

Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), the winner of last term's G3 Oh So Sharp S. and runner up in the G1 1000 Guineas in May, will take a class drop and target the G3 Atalanta S. at Sandown on Aug. 21. After showing so much promise earlier in the season, Saffron Beach has since put in a pair of below-par efforts in the G1 Cazoo Oaks and G1 Falmouth S.

“The stiff mile [of the Atalanta] should be right up her alleyway and it should help get her confidence back,” said trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam. “Given her form and where she is at we are there to give it a go. I think she will love the finish up that hill at Sandown. As long as the ground is not like was on Oaks day or the Friday of Royal Ascot, then she will be alright.”

Though Saffron Beach beat just two home in the Falmouth, Chapple-Hyam said she had her excuses.

“She scoped dirty after the Falmouth but you don't know they have a mucky lung until you put them under pressure in the race,” the trainer said. “She never had a cough and didn't show any signs of having anything wrong; it was only when we scoped her half an hour after the race we found it was dirty. She had five days of antibiotics and we went easy on her for 12 days but she is back doing her normal routine now.

“If you watch the Falmouth back she was in there cantering. She got a bit of a bump and was the meat in the sandwich as it got a bit messy three furlongs out. That didn't bother her, she just couldn't go through with her effort with her mucky lungs.”

Chapple-Hyam said Bellosa (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), another promising 3-year-old filly in her yard, has been given a summer break and will return in the autumn. Sir Edmund Loder's filly won her first two starts this season in exciting fashion before disappointing in the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot.

“She has had a growth spurt and has filled out,” Chapple-Hyam said. “Hopefully we can have a good September and October with her. I always thought she would go with give in the ground but I think it was maybe just too extreme at Ascot for a 3-year-old who, going into it, only had two starts. I think we will stick at seven with her but we might have to look at taking in some races in France and we could end up running on the all-weather at Deauville at some point. Sometimes it is a blessing in disguise giving them a summer break as they just bloom and she certainly has.”

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