Galileo Sires 300th Stakes Winner

Galileo reached a new milestone on Monday, when Birch Grove (4f Galileo - Danehurst, by Danehill) won the Prix Tranchant de Villers-sur-Mer at Clairefontaine, becoming her sire’s 300th Stakes winner.

The David Simcock-trained filly made her Stakes debut last month, finishing fourth, and once again raced over a mile and a half, with the ground described as good-to-firm. Mikael Barzalona rode her in midfield, improving their position two and a half furlongs out and was ridden to lead from the two pole. Driven out, she stayed on strongly to hold off the multiple Stakes-placed Hermaphrodite by three parts of a length, with another length back to the favourite, Group 2 winner Listen In, in third.

Owned by the Rathordan Partnership, Birch Grove was bred by Glenvale Stud on the well-proven Galileo/Danehill cross. The Danehill mare in question is Danehurst, an eight-time winner at Stakes level and twice placed at Group 1 level.

Danehurst has an unraced two-year-old named Greek Gladiator (Galileo) and a colt foal by Caravaggio.