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A classic trifecta in the Irish Derby and an Australian black type winner – it was just another weekend of notable results for the world's leading sire Galileo.
Coolmore's super sire boasts 79 Group One winners among his 294 stakeswinners after his unheralded son Sovereign sprung a major upset in the Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Sovereign (Galileo x Devoted To You by Danehill Dancer) led hom a Galeilo trifecta at oidds of 33/1 when he beat his favoured stablemate, the Epsom Derby Anthony Van Dyck by six lengths.
Another O'Brien-trained colt Norway Galileo's third Derby runner in the field of eight, finished third.
It was the second time in five years that Galileo has sired the three placegetters in the Irish Derby after Australia, Kingfisher and Orchestra completed the trifecta for the son of Sadler's Wells in 2014.
It is also the fifth time Galileo has sired all three placegetters in a Group One contest.
Sovereign's all the way win was completely unexpected after he finished tenth behind Anthony Van Dyck in the English Derby at Epsom.
He was looked on as the pacemaker for his Ballydoyle stablemates in the Irish Derby but kept running to easily outstay his disappointing rivals under a clever ride from Padraig Beggy.
Galileo has now sired six Irish Derby winners while O'Brien has won the classic 13 times. He has provided the first three to finish six times.
Bred by Barronstown Stud, Sovereign races for Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor and has now won twice with three minor placings from his nine starts.
He is out of the Danehill Dancer mare Devoted To You, a G2 and G3 placegetter who is a half-sister to four stakes winners including the G3 winner Humble Eight (Seattle Battle).
She is also the dam of the Listed winners Stage Call and Humilis.
Soveriegn's third dam Morning Devotion (Affirmed) is the dam of the 1994 Irish Derby winner Balanchine (Storm Bird) and the G2 winners Romanov (Nureyev) and Red Slippers (Nureyev).
Red Slippers produced the G1 Prix de Diane winner West Wind (Machiavellian) and is also the second dam of the dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (Helmet).
Devoted To You has a 2YO colt and yearling filly by Galileo.
* GALILEO'S imported mare Igraine is likely to be mated with champion sire Fastnet Rock this spring after recording her first Australian win in the Listed Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast in Queensland on Saturday.Bred in Germany and trained in New Zealand by Robert Priscott, Igraine (Galileo x Iota by Tiger Hill) is likely to have one more start in the Listed Grafton Cup on July 11 before she heads to stud in NSW.
The Trelawney Stud-owned Igraine was purchased by New Zealand agent Paul Moroney after she had won a maiden event in Germany for 65,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2017.
The 6YO mare has now won six races with eight placings from her 20 starts including G3 win in New Zealand, earning almost $300,000.
She is from the G1 Grosser Preis Diana winner Iota and is a half-sister to four other winners including the German G1 winner Ito (Adlerflug)
Her planned mating with Fastnet Rock is not surprising as his match with Galileo mares has returned a ratio of 25 per cent stakes winners to runners including seven G1 winners from 67 runners.
Igraine is the tenth New Zealand trained stayer to win the Caloundra Cup since it was first run in 1985.