By Tom Frary
Keeping it very simple, Ryan Moore took Saturday's G2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity S. by the scruff of the neck on the 1-6 favourite Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and yet again the TDN Rising Star was able to gallop his rivals into the ground from the front. Returning to The Curragh at which he had made his impressive debut June 2, the 1-6 favourite was kept honest by his chief market rival Maritime Wings (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who had chased him home in the G3 Tyros S. at Leopardstown July 22. Again stretching that rival beyond his comfort zone with his relentless gallop, the bay hit the line with 4 1/4 lengths to spare as fellow Ballydoyle runner The Acropolis (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) ended up 2 1/4 lengths back in third. On a day when Reach For the Moon (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) advertised the form of his Listed Chesham S. success at Royal Ascot June 19, the full-brother to Broome (Ire) was further enhancing his reputation as he provided Aidan O'Brien with a 14th winner of this seven-furlong staging post. “He's been slowly progressing with every run and, while he always gets a lead at home in his work, there's no point if it's going to become a slow-run race,” he said. “He's a lovely straightforward horse and the plan coming here was the [G1 Dr Vincent O'Brien] National Stakes [over this course and distance Sept. 12]. He's never finished going to the line and gets seven really well. He's very like his dad, who was just beaten in the Guineas and went on to win the Derby and he's probably slicker than his brother, a lower mover who is very genuine and relaxed in every way. He takes everything in his stride and has plenty of class.”
Point Lonsdale's dam Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), whose daughter of Lope de Vega (Ire) is due to sell at the upcoming Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, was successful in the Listed National S. and Bedanken S., runner-up in the GIII Appalachian S. an third in the G3 Princess Margaret S. In the year of the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud success of her 5-year-old son Broome, she looks to have unearthed another leading light in this untested colt by Galileo's Australia. Galileo's influence in this family is felt in the triple group-winning stayer Ernest Hemingway (Ire), while his son Frankel (GB) was responsible for the past Futurity winner and G1 Irish Derby runner-up Rostropovich (Ire) and the G3 Prix d'Aumale winner Toulifaut (Ire). This is also the dynasty of the stable's G1 Phoenix S. hero and proven sire Zoffany (Ire) and last year's G1 St Leger runner-up Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}). It is not entirely fanciful that the Triple Crown hero Coolmore have waited over 50 years for could spring forth from this family's mix of speed and stamina.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
GALILEO IRISH EBF FUTURITY S.-G2, €100,000, Curragh, 8-21, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.75, sf.
1–POINT LONSDALE (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Sweepstake (Ire) (SW & GSP-Eng & US, $114,162), by Acclamation (GB)
2nd Dam: Dust Flicker (GB), by Suave Dancer
3rd Dam: Galaxie Dust, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
(575,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €60,000. Lifetime Record: SW-Eng, 4-4-0-0, $169,990. *Full to Broome (Ire), G1SW-Fr, MGSW & G1SP-Ire, GSP-Eng, $978,825. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Maritime Wings (Ire), 131, c, 2, Gleneagles (Ire)–Celeste de La Mer (Ire), by Zoffany (Ire). (€82,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV; £58,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Team Valor International LLC; B-Jer Hickey & Aaron Langan (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €20,000.
3–The Acropolis (Ire), 131, c, 2, Churchill (Ire)–Hairy Rocket (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (€140,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Frank Dunne (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €10,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 2 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.16, 8.50, 14.00.
Also Ran: Manu Et Corde (Ire), Point Gellibrand (Ire), The Entertainer (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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