GALILEO IS DOUBLY SURE

This is a post that I have been meaning to write for a long time, which is why it is not overly topical.

There has certainly been no stopping Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) this year as he has sired something in the region of 28 stakes winner of which 11 are Gr 1 winners. However, it is the Galileo/Sharpen Up cross I want to look at or rather the Galileo /Doubly Sure cross. Galileo has sired four stakes winners to date out of Sharpen Up line mares of which two are out of Diesis (Sharpen Up) daughters, which includes St Leger Stakes (Gr 1) winner Sixties Icon, and the other two are of mares by Kris (Sharpen Up), who is an own-brother to Diesis. Add to this is that Galileo first season son Teofilo, who has enjoyed a fantastic maiden season, has also sired two of his four stakes winners on a Sharpen Up cross. And guess what, both these stakes winners, Remember Alexander (Gr 3) and highly regard Listed winner  Black Arrow  (who is a CWC recommend mating!) are both out of Diesis daughters.

Diesis, a Dewhurst Stakes (Gr 1) winner, and Kris, who was one of the best 20^th Century milers having been Champion miler in 1979-80, were bred by the late Howard de Walden’s Newmarket Plantation Stud and were out of the Reliance mare Doubly Sure. Doubly Sure proved great producer as she also produced Gr 2 winner Rudimentary (Nureyev) and Listed winner Presidium (General Assembly).

With Galileo having sired one of his leading all time stakes winners, the five time Gr 1 winner Cape Blanco, who is due to stand the 2012 breeding season at Ashford Stud, is out of Presidium mare suggests that the Galileo/Doubly Sure cross is nick more than just by chance. Particular when you looks at Galileo stakes that hold Doubly Sure in any position. There are another further seven Galileo stakes that hold Doubly Sure in bottom half of their pedigree. These include other Gr 1 winners Lush Lashes (out of an Anabaa mare) and Mahbooba (Red Ransom) as well as the recent Beresford Stakes (Gr 2) winner David Livingston.

This is certainly a cross to watch. CWC