A remarkable Bloodline

Galileo

From Sadler's Wells to Galileo to Frankel. A bloodline that keeps on giving...

The 12-times Champion Sire, Galileo, was responsible for siring 5 Derby winners: New Approach, Ruler Of The World, Australia, Anthony Van Dyck and Serpentine. The king of Coolmore has dominated the Classic and is not far from producing a landmark 100 Group 1 winners.

This year’s Derby winner, the Charlie Appleby trained, Adayer, was sired by Frankel and is therefore included in the Galileo legacy. It's worth mentioning that he competed against six sons or grandsons of the great Galileo for the victory.

There have only been two winners in the past 10 years that were not descended from Sadler’s Wells or Galileo. These were Golden Horn and Harzand - even then it was Galileo’s half-brother, Sea The Stars, who gave us Harzand.

Galileo himself was a Derby winner in 2001 when in training with Aidan O’Brien, who is now enjoying the success of his progeny.

Naturally, Galileo’s supremacy on courses today is passed down from his sire, Sadler’s Wells, who was also responsible for Derby winner, Montjeu.

Montjeu has a successful Derby record too. He is sire to Motivator, Authorized, Pour Moi and Camelot. The Sadler’s Well line consistently proves itself; his progeny, and those of his sons, are absolutely the horses to beat.

Bloodstock agent, James Delahooke said that ... 'Galileo imparts plenty of stamina, along with his other attributes'. Races that demand class, speed, stamina and temperament in ample supply play to Galileo’s strengths, just as they did for Sadler’s Wells before him. Stamina being the vital component for those final furlongs which is, essentially, what a Classic race comes down to.

The Saddler’s Wells line has had precedence over a large part of the Flat racing landscape since the American-bred Kris Kin won the Derby 18 years ago. The American breds ruled for a period before this which isn’t surprising when considering that the likes of Nijinski, Sir Ivor and Roberto (some of Europe’s great middle-distance horses) were standing in Kentucky. Northern Dancer, The Minstrel, Sercreto and Nijinski each sired one or more winners of the world-renowned race.

In recent years, the interest in Flat racing has been swayed in favour of two-year-old sprinters over middle-distance stayers.

Horses are now being bred for speed more than stamina and we don't have many horses that go the distance. It could be argued that this is a shortcoming in today’s breed.

There will of course be bloodlines that reign over others as the breed evolves and develops (it’s the nature of the game), and perhaps the Sadler’s Wells and Galileo bloodline could do with a challenger?!

Seems unlikely.

We bid farewell to this exceptional stallion. While Galileo has done his last Fandango, his legacy is far from over.