Mogul Kicks Off Incredible Group 1 Treble For Galileo
Mogul (3c Galileo - Shastye, by Danehill) completed the first leg of an incredible Group 1 treble for Galileo when running out a commanding winner of the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp.
The full-brother to Japan was partnered by Pierre-Charles Boudot and began to make good headway from three furlongs out, asserting approaching the final furlong. Running on well, he scored by two and a half lengths from German Derby victor In Swoop.
Successful in two Group contests before Sunday, Mogul has an array of international options, according to Aidan O’Brien. “Mogul is in the Arc, he's in in Australia and there's the Champion Stakes,” he said, adding, “He could go to America, he could go to Hong Kong so there's a lot of options for him. He's in the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate.”
Bought by MV Magnier for 3.4million guineas, the Newsells Park Stud-bred colt is one of four Group winners by Galileo out of Shastye, who has a yearling full-sister catalogued at Tattersalls next month.
Later that afternoon at the Curragh, Shale (2f Galileo - Homecoming Queen, by Holy Roman Emperor) beat regular rival Pretty Gorgeous to win the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes for Donnacha O’Brien.
Successful at Group 3 level against Pretty Gorgeous last month, she reversed placings last time out in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes, but put three parts of a length between them on Sunday under Ryan Moore.
The Coolmore homebred will next hope to add to her Group 1 catalogue in the Fillies Mile or Prix Marcel Boussac, according to her young trainer.
It was Dermot Weld’s turn next, as his talented stayer Search For A Song (4f Galileo - Polished Gem, by Danehill) captured the Group 1 Irish St Leger for a second time; a feat previously achieved by Order Of St George, Kayf Tara, Oscar Schindler and Vintage Crop, while Weld’s star Vinnie Roe won four consecutive runnings.
Held up by Oisin Orr, the chesnut was last to challenge, asserting inside the final furlong and pushed clear to win by two lengths. Sunday marked a first top-flight success for the young jockey, while it marked a third Stakes success for the Moyglare Stud homebred, who finished third in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold cup earlier in the season.
Search For A Song is a one of seven Stakes horses produced by Polished Gem (Danehill); three of them by Galileo, and there may soon be another, with her Galileo two-year-old Kyprios having made a winning debut earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, back at Longchamp, last year’s Epsom Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck (4c Galileo - Believe’N’Succeed, by Exceed And Excel) denied Stradivarius in a thrilling finish to the Group 2 Prix Foy.
Mickael Barzalona rode Aidan O’Brien’s charge to make most of the running and was challenge by the short-priced favourite two and a half furlongs from home. Keeping on strongly to maintain a narrow advantage, he was ridden out to prevail by a short neck.
A dual Group winner as a juvenile, Anthony Van Dyck was gaining his fifth Stakes success overall, having also been placed at the highest level on multiple occasions. Bred by Orpendale, Chelston and Wynatt, the son of Galileo is a half-brother to Group 1 heroine Bounding.