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Galileo’s passing has just been announced on ITV racing coverage.
Where do you start? With Frankel perhaps.
Sad news.
Rest in peace to an iconic horse and sire!!
Time flies like a banana, flies are like arrows...fruit?.. wait, no....
There will never be another that will leave the impact he has and will continue to, the surface has only been scratched.
He won the first Derby I ever attended and I backed him. Little did I know then that he would go on to become the dominant sire of modern times. A great loss to the sport.
Wonderful colt at three 20 years ago, won The Derby, Irish Derby and King George and just an incredible sire over a range of distances even though he was pure middle distance himself.
And of course the sire of Frankel, who had the better racecourse form over shorter distances.
But Galileo will go down as one of the all-time great sires, if not the greatest.
From that wonderful Northern Dancer bloodline.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Produced the greatest flat horse of all time
Who looks set to fill his boots as the number 1 sire
And single handedly provided ballydoyle with an era of dominance
The most influential horse of all time?
Galileo’s dad Sadlers Wells took over from his dad Northern Dancer as the best sire; and Galileo took over from Sadlers Wells.
Galileo’s own form was very good but not exceptional. Better then some gave him credit for though and may well have improved further had he raced on as a 4yo. Probably would’ve won the Irish Champion had the Godolphin pacemaker not held him out rounding the turn; allowing that stable’s Fantastic Light through on the inner. Only other defeat when not acting on dirt in the Breeders Cup Classic final start. Retired at three.
For all the many top quality colts Galileo sired, none owned by Coolmore has achieved top breeding honours and looks as though Prince Khaled’s Frankel will take over from the Brilliant Galileo as the best sire.
Value Is EverythingI thought he was exceptional on Derby Day, Ginger. Maybe he was never quite as good afterwards and I agree it was a very sad end to his career to see him floundering on the dirt.
The memory plays tricks but I am sure he won his maiden at Leopardstown by about 10 lengths and was then quoted at 20/1 for the Derby. Imagine what price an O’Brien horse would be for the Derby after winning by such a margin on debut now!
I pretty much agree with GT’s assessment.
As a racehorse, I would classify Galileo as “very good” rather than “great.”
And he was an above-average winner of The Derby as his subsequent victories in the Irish Derby and the King George attest.
As a sire, however, he certainly was “great” – truly exceptional and outstanding.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"What a legacy to leave. And he had such a nice looking head and markings that he has passed on to so many of his offspring so we’ll have horses that are lovely to look at gracing the turf as well as being super racehorses. Seems like Frankel is carrying Northern Dancer’s torch now but who knows what other sires will emerge.
Gone but never forgotten
The best of the best.
Now we have to look to his progeny to carry on the line and Frankel & supporting cast have big horseshoes to fill.Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...His son Bolshoi Ballet winning the grade 1 Belmont Derby is a fitting tribute.
Value Is EverythingHas also established himself as a sire of sires quicker than his father. There was a time when many were wondering whether Sadler’s Wells would leave a champion sire son and when El Prado and In The Wings were his two best stallion sons. Then, like London buses, Montjieu and Galileo came along. Sadly, although a fine sire himself, Montjieu’s sons are struggling to be sire of sires with even Camelot’s sons likely to end up dual purpose sires – though who knows whether Sir Dragonet may just surprise Down Under.
I know he is now best remembered as a sire but it as a racehorse that I will always think of him.
I was at Epsom when he won the Derby and at Ascot when he won the King George.
I went to Epsom to watch the Derby but I went to Ascot to see Galileo.
A real specimen of a thoroughbred and very fine horse.
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