By Tom Frary
In a season that has seen Ambiente Friendly (Ire), Calandagan (GB) and Mill Stream (GB) fly his flag, Gleneagles (Ire) looks a sire coming good and Monday's card at Killarney witnessed one who could easily enhance his reputation further in the Joseph O'Brien trainee Galen (GB). Off the mark by nine lengths in a mile maiden that looked to lack depth at The Curragh last month, the flashy chestnut looked in a hurry to prove that he is the real deal with an emphatic 11-length follow-up to earn TDN Rising Star status.
Sent off the 4-9 favourite for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race over a mile, the 55,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 purchase who represents Ger Fitzgerald, Paul Redmond, Anne Marie O'Brien and Barry Fowler was sent to the lead by Dylan Browne McMonagle soon after the start where he was shadowed by the filly Beechwood (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}). Putting that rival under pressure after the home turn, he turned it on from there to record an impressive time nearly five seconds faster than the promising bunch of juveniles who contested the fixture's opener.
Beechwood is rated 94 and had been beaten under two lengths when fourth in the Listed Noblesse Stakes in April, so this was a genuine statement of intent from the winner who had been runner-up to City Of Troy (Justify) on his only 2-year-old outing last July.
“Galen was impressive and he stretched right out to the line. They went a good even gallop and he picked up,” Joseph O'Brien's representative Sean Corby said. “Dylan was very happy with him, said he was still babyish in front and said that he will be better in a better race with a lead. He looked pretty good. His debut run has turned out to be a very good run and he is now going the right way. His win at the Curragh the last day was on slower ground, but Dylan thinks he loves the quick ground so going forward that will be key for him. A mile seems to be suiting him for now.”
Galen is much too good in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race under @DylanBrowneMcM for the Jospeh O'Brien team! 👏 pic.twitter.com/huTtnerPWD
— KillarneyRaces (@KillarneyRaces) July 15, 2024
The winner's dam Apache Storm (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), whose daughter Mexicali Rose (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}) was third in the Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes, is kin to the G3 Dee Stakes and G3 Sandown Classic Trial winner Azmeel (GB) (Azamour {Ire}) and to the dams of Azamour's G1 Cantala Stakes and G2 Royal Lodge Stakes scorer Best Of Days (GB) and the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas third Foxtrot Liv (GB) (Foxwedge {Aus}). Her yearling colt by Kodi Bear (Ire) was a 42,000gns purchase by Castle Bloodstock at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
2nd-Killarney, €22,000, Cond, 7-15, 3yo/up, 8f 20yT, 1:37.93, g/f.
GALEN (GB), c, 3, by Gleneagles (Ire)
1st Dam: Apache Storm (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Best Side (Ire), by King's Best
3rd Dam: Mood Swings (Ire), by Shirley Heights (GB)
(55,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, $35,187. O-Paul H Redmond & T G Fitzgerald & Mrs A M O'Brien & Barry Fowler; B-Moyns Park Estate and Stud Ltd (GB); T-Joseph O'Brien. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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