Group 1 Derby double by Galileo

Coolmore champion Galileo proved once again he is the world’s premier classic stallion with a Derby double on the weekend.

Ruler Of The World (Ire) dominated the English Derby on Saturday and Intello landed the Prix du Jockey Club on Sunday.  They are the 33rd and 34th Group 1 winners by Galileo.  That honour-roll is headed by the incomparable Frankel.

Ruler Of The World (3c Galileo – Love Me True by Kingmambo) scored a comprehensive victory at Epsom Downs.  He was eased down to defeat Libertarian (New Approach by Galileo) by more than a length with Galileo Rock (Galileo) and Battle Of Marengo (Galileo) finishing close up in third and fourth.

Hot favourite Dawn Approach (New Approach) didn’t settle at any stage during a slowly classic and trailed in more than 30 lengths from the winner.

Trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien, Ruler Of The World is a homebred for Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.  He is a half-brother to Duke Of Marmalade (Danehill) who won a swag of Group 1 races for the same connections.

“It is just incredible,” O’Brien said.  “We are so lucky to be in the position that we are in, to get such horses.  They are incredibly bred horses and it’s a dream for this to happen.”

Ruler Of The World claimed his maiden on debut at the Curragh over 2000m on April 7 and went into the English Derby on the back of a 6 length victory in the G3 Chester Vase (2400m) on May 9.

Intello (Ger) was just as impressive landing the French Derby at Chantilly for trainer Andre Fabre and owner-breeders Alain and Gerard Wertheimer.

Intello (3c Galileo – Impressionnante by Danehill) had won at Longchamp and Maisons – Laffitte as a two year-old and resumed on April 17 with a Listed victory in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket.  His final classic prep was a beauty – flying home for third in a blanket finish to the French 2000 Guineas on May 12.

Ridden prominently Olivier Peslier in the Derby, he quickened entering the final furlong and was driven out to score by two lengths from Morandi (Holy Roman Emperor) and Sky Hunter (Motivator).

Intello is the latest Group 1 winner to descend from 1994 USA Broodmare of the Year Fall Aspen.  He is out of G2 Prix de Sandringham winner Impressionnante and, along with Frankel, is one of 7 Galileo Group 1 winners from a Danehill mare.  Second-dam Occupandiste (Kaldoun) was a G1 winner of the Prix Maurice de Gheest and Prix de la Foret.

Galileo shuttled to Australia for five years but didn’t return after 2006 when his stock took off in Europe.  The 15 year-old son of Sadler’s Wells stands at Coolmore Stud in Ireland at a private fee which is believed to be the equivalent of AUD 400,000.

– Karl Patterson