GALILEO TRAGEDY
Magnier hails “lasting legacy” of one of greatest sires of all time
COOLMORE boss John Magnier paid tribute to “a very special horse” after the shock death was announced yesterday of 2001 Derby winner and supersire Galileo.
The 23-year-old stallion, whose sons New Approach (2008), Ruler Of The World (2013), Australia (2014), Anthony Van Dyck (2019) and Serpentine (2020) also triumphed at Epsom, was put down after suffering a “chronic, nonresponsive, debilitating injury to the left-fore foot”.
A son of 1984 Irish Derby winner – and 14time champion sire – Sadler’s Wells and 1993 Prix de l’arc de Triomphe heroine Urban Sea, Galileo gave Aidan O’brien the first of his eight Derby successes before going on to claim 12 titles at stud.
Magnier (right), 73, who built the Co Tipperary-based Coolmore Stud into a global bloodstock superpower, said: “It is a very sad day, but we all feel incredibly fortunate to have had Galileo here at Coolmore.
“He was always a very special horse to us. I would like to thank Aidan and his team for the brilliant job they did with him.”
Galileo, whose stallion fee was reported to be €600,000, was responsible for 91 Group 1 winners, while 20 of his sons have sired top-level victors on the Flat.
“The effect he is having on the breed through his sons and daughters will be a lasting legacy and his phenomenal success really is unprecedented,” added Magnier.
On the track, Galileo, who also numbers modern great Frankel among his sons, added to his 2001 three-and-ahalf-length defeat of Golan at Epsom with a four-length supremacy in the Irish version at the Curragh.
Then followed a twolength defeat of Fantastic Light in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, before the runner-up gained his revenge by a head in Leopardstown’s Irish Champion Stakes.
O’brien, who took over Sadler’s Wells’ trainer Vincent O’brien – no relation – at the helm of Magnier’s Ballydoyle stable in 1995, said: “He was an unbelievable horse – we will never see the like of him again – and we were lucky to have him for so long.
“He was bred at Coolmore, and before he arrived here John said he was extra special. He was unique. He had incredible physical movement, he was so genuine and mentally he stamped his stock so strongly.”
STARMAN was rocketpowered in the Darley July Cup – to give his trainer Ed Walker a first Group 1 victory.
Tom Marquand’s mount looked in trouble shortly halfway into the six-furlong Newmarket test, but found his stride up the hill to beat 7-2 favourite Dragon Symbol with Oxted third.
“It’s taken time, but better late than never. I always believed so much in this horse,” said Walker, who began training in 2010.