South Pacific Leads Home Ballydoyle 1-2-3 At Royal Ascot

South Pacific (3c Galileo - Tonnara, by Linamix) led home a 1-2-3 for Ballydoyle in Thursday’s King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot and in turn, provided Aidan O’Brien with his fifth win of the meeting so far.

Ridden by Seamie Heffernan, the bay was stepping up to a mile and a half for the first time, having won his maiden over ten furlongs. Racing in midfield, he was switched left to make a challenge over two furlongs from home and ran on strongly to lead inside the final furlong, beating top weight Constantinople (Galileo) by a neck, with a further length and three quarters back to their stablemate Eminence in third.

A delighted Aidan O’Brien later said, “South Pacific is a lovely horse who is progressing all the time. He was a bit babyish, but he is coming along lovely. He is progressing with every run and I think he will get further than a mile and a half in time.”

South Pacific was bred by Skymarc Farm in partnership with Ecurie Des Monceaux, with the latter selling him as a yearling for €1,000,000. He was bred to be special, with the son of Galileo being a half-brother to dual top-level winner Ectot and St. James’s Palace Stakes victor Most Improved.