Al Shaqab Racing's impressive QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) has been ruled out of a tilt at the Investec Derby on June 4 following a test by Irish genetics company Equinome which shows him to be a 'CC' type, or sprinter/miler.
Announcing the news in his Betfair blog, trainer Hugo Palmer said, “This means that there is a less than 1% chance of his optimum trip being 1m4f and, therefore, having consulted with Harry Herbert and Sheikh Joaan, I can reveal that the horse will not be running in the Derby.”
Despite Galileo Gold being a son of a Group 1-winning miler and closely related to last year's G1 King's Stand S. and Prix de l'Abbaye winner Goldream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Palmer had on Saturday pointed to the stamina further back in his Classic winner's pedigree which might tempt him to let the colt take his chance at Epsom.
In the immediate aftermath of the Guineas, he said, “His dam's by Galileo and his fourth dam is Floripedes (Fr), who is the dam of Montjeu. Between them, Galileo and Montjeu have been responsible for plenty of Derby winners.”
However, Galileo Gold will now be kept to mile races, with the trainer adding in his recent blog, “Our priority is now to cement his position as a superstar miler and, all being well, we will now run in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, and hopefully then on to the St James' Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.”
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