Big year ahead for Galileo’s Ulysses

Flaxman Stables home-bred Ulysses (4c Galileo-Light Shift, by Kingmambo) looks set for a big season after winning the G3 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown on Friday for trainer Sir Michael Stoute. Last season’s G3 Gordon Stakes winner, a Galileo colt out of Oaks heroine Light Shift, took the lead a furlong out and finished a length clear of the field. “The pace was quite slow but he settled, which is the most important thing,” said winning rider Andrea Atzeni. “He’s a different horse this year - he’s much bigger and stronger and more mature, so he’s a horse with a bright future. He’s got a high cruising speed, but picks up well and hit the line quite strongly. I’d say 10 furlongs is his trip.”

Alan Cooper, racing manager to the colt’s owners, added that several G1 targets are now being contemplated, including a return to Sandown in July for the G1 Eclipse Stakes.

"He did that very smoothly and he picked up gently to do it well,” said Cooper. “The thought at the moment is to stay at 10 furlongs rather than 12 and that is why he has entries in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes. "We'll see what Sir Michael would like to do, as he is the boss. The ground was a little bit slower than ideal, but he handled it well. Let's get through May and June and then think about July (for the Eclipse), but he's a course and distance winner so why not think about it?"