Select Sons of Galileo at Karaka 2012
13 December 2011
New Zealand Bloodstock's 2012 Karaka Premier Sale will see world champion sire Galileo represented by his only southern hemisphere bred yearling colts to be offered in Australasia in 2012.
To be offered by Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore Stud, the two colts represent a unique chance for buyers to secure yearling colts by a sire that has developed into one of the world's most respected and successful stallions.
"They are a pair of quality colts and we're excited and privileged to be presenting them for sale in January," commented Cunningham.
"The yearling out of Astonish (Lot 54) is absolutely top draw, he would be one of the best yearlings in our draft for Karaka 2012."
A Cape Cross mare, Astonish was bred in England and is a half-sister to Group 3 winners Wunders Dream (Averti) and Grecian Dancer (Dansili), and from the family of Industrialist (Rudimentary) who won the Group 2 HKJC QE II Cup and HK-1 Hong Kong Gold Cup, and Firebolt (Flying Spur) who took the HK-1 Century Sprint Cup.
To be offered at Lot 482, the other Galileo colt is out of the Rock of Gibraltar mare Tasmania. From the family of New Zealand's champion sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram), the colt represents the highly successful Galileo/Danehill cross through his son Rock of Gibraltar.
A champion sire, Galileo has had a season to remember in the Northern Hemisphere. The sire of the outstanding and unbeaten three-year-old Frankel, the highest rated horse in the world, Galileo is now the sire of 20 Group 1 winners worldwide with his progeny winning in 36 countries around the globe.
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Galileo will have two colts in the |
Headlined by the NZB graduate, the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Sousa, Galileo has also sired the Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1 placed Gallant Tess, Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes winner Linton, the Melbourne Cup runner up Purple Moon and Group/stakes winners including Banc De Fortune, Discorsi, Miss Galilei, Reprisal and Saint Minerva.
The Australian spring has seen a number of Galileo's progeny take to the track with the Hawkes' stable's Niwot showing that he could be in for a lucrative season when bolting away with the well contested Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m). He is currently at $8 for the Group 1 Auckland Cup in March.
The Melbourne spring carnivals also saw the Robert Hickmott trained Tanby claim the Listed Bendigo Cup after running second in the Group 3 Geelong Cup to subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden (Nicobar), and second in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes.
In Sydney, trainer John Thompson produced the five-year-old mare Galizani to win the Listed Tatt's Club City Cup (2400m) in October, and Saturday's Listed Christmas Cup at Rosehill saw the promising Sea Galleon take his first stakes race.
A Group 1 placed three-year-old behind Kidnapped (Viscount) in the South Australian Derby, Sea Galleon has had just 20 starts for five wins and four placings. His trainers Colin and Cindy Alderson are confident there is a big race in him and have nominated the five-year-old for the Group 1 Sydney Cup in the autumn.
Galileo is one of many sire sons of the great Sadler's Wells that have made their way to Australasia including Montjeu, who is now permanently based in Ireland, and High Chaparral who shuttles to Coolmore Australia.
High Chaparral's impact on the Australasian tracks was immediate, siring four Group 1 winners from his first New Zealand crop including the eight-time Group 1 winning NZB graduate So You Think (NZ).
The Karaka Premier Sale will offer 61 yearlings by High Chaparral including Lot 67 from Curraghmore Stud, the colt from the Stravinsky mare Ballet Danseuse, the half-sister to the Melbourne Cup, VRC Derby and Turnbull Stakes winner Efficient (Zabeel) and Group 2 Dato' Tan Chin Nam Stakes winner and sire Guillotine (Montjeu).
"He's another quality colt and a real standout," said Cunningham. "I would say that he will be one of the highest rated High Chaparral colts at the 2012 Karaka Premier Sale."
To view Curraghmore Stud's draft in the 2012 Karaka Premier Sale, click here.
Catalogues for New Zealand Bloodstock's 2012 Karaka Yearling Sales (30 January - 5 February) are now available and can be viewed online at www.nzb.co.nz.