While reviewing results from a busy period of big-race action since I last wrote in this space, I think I caught a glimpse into the future.

Some 22 different sires supplied the 26 winners of black-type races staged in Britain and Ireland from the Saturday of the St Leger and Irish Champion Stakes through to this past weekend. And Galileo was not one of them.

Coolmore’s phenomenal stallion, who died in July, no doubt has several more star progeny to represent him posthumously. However, as we enter the later stages of the Galileo era, we should probably get used to a more diverse range of sires enjoying success – just as we saw over the past nine days or so. 

Coolmore’s misfortunes this year are highlighted by the identities of some of those sires who have notched black-type winners since the St Leger.

Zoffany, who died due to liver failure aged 13 in January, was on the mark with two Group 3-winning fillies in Paddy Power Stakes winner Camorra and Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes scorer Astadash.

Mastercraftsman, who succumbed to a suspected heart attack aged 15 last month, meanwhile provided Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Discoveries, a full-sister to the sire’s outstanding daughter Alpha Centauri.

Without wishing to rub salt into the wounds, it’s also notable that four of the other British and Irish stakes winners in this time range were conceived at Coolmore studs but are by sires who have since been moved on.

Power, whose Irish St Leger-winning son Sonnyboyliston became a remarkable third Group 1 victor for the sire this year after Helvic Dream and Laws Of Indices, has remained in Australia since 2018, while Ruler Of The World, sire of Blandford Stakes winner La Petite Coco, stood at Haras de Bouquetot in Normandy for the past two seasons and is off to Italy next year.

Then there is Firth of Clyde Stakes winner Nazanin’s sire Declaration Of War, who left Ashford Stud in Kentucky for Japan in 2019, and Ivawood, whose son Hurricane Ivor looked a sprinter with a big future after taking the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes on Saturday. He has spent the last two seasons at stud in France.

Coolmore’s sophomore sire The Gurkha did at least get a first British or Irish black-type winner when Invite took the Listed Stand Cup at Chester, but the son of Galileo faces an uphill battle to establish himself now.

All of which emphasises why such a huge weight of expectation rests on the shoulders of the organisation’s expensive acquisition Wootton Bassett (pictured above) to maintain his strong results and therefore his commercial popularity.

It will be a relief to Coolmore and the other breeders who contributed to his debut Irish book of 244 blue-chip mares this year, then, that he supplied KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes winner Atomic Jones, now two out of two for Ger Lyons, on Irish Champions Weekend.

The following week brought another unbeaten Group-winning two-year-old for Wootton Bassett in France, in the shape of Friday’s Prix Eclipse scorer Topgear.

For the record, the three sires besides Zoffany who delivered two stakes winners in Britain and Ireland in the last nine days were Frankel (Hurricane Lane and Mostahdaf), Dubawi (Maydanny and Glorious Journey) and Oasis Dream (Native Trail and Vertiginous).

So many different sires tasting success in recent weeks – including, even, the little-used former Australian shuttler Sidestep courtesy of Real Appeal in the Boomerang Mile – should serve as a reminder to buyers to keep an open mind as the yearling sales season continues.

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Nick Bradley is steadfast in his disregard of pedigree when he selects stock to race for his syndicates, and indeed last week’s Ayr Listed winner Dandalla was taken on despite being a full-sister to a horse who achieved a peak Racing Post Rating of just 63.

But when he bought Forgetmenever, who makes her debut for Richard Fahey in the 6f fillies’ maiden at Wolverhampton today (6.00), for 50,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 2 last year he landed a very well-bred filly – one whose family has been in fine form of late.

She is a Muhaarar half-sister to Queen Anne Stakes hero Accidental Agent, as well as to Madame Tantzy, who scored in a competitive handicap at Newmarket on Saturday, and Rooful, who broke her maiden in handicap company at Salisbury earlier this month.

Furthermore, Forgetmenever’s dam Roodle is a half-sister to last year’s Sussex Stakes winner Mohaather and dual US Grade 2 scorer Prize Exhibit, whose first foal, the 2,800,000gns Galileo filly History, won a Gowran Park maiden in impressive style for Aidan O’Brien on Saturday.

An eye-catcher in the European table of first-season sires is Ectot, who has supplied five winners from nine runners at a clip of 56 per cent. They include last month’s impressive Deauville maiden scorer Good Too.

Ectot’s fine early results are particularly encouraging as he is a son of stamina influence Hurricane Run and progressed throughout his juvenile season to win the Group 1 Criterium International in November.

by : Good Morning Bloodstock