Daughters of Australia and Galileo go head-to-head in Irish Oaks showdown

Galileo fields four representatives as he goes in search of an unprecedented 87th Group 1 winner in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday.

The perennial champion sire has supplied two previous winners of the race, having struck with Great Heavens in 2012 and again in 2016 with Seventh Heaven.

However, it is one of his sire sons, Australia, who is responsible for the market leader, with Cayenne Pepper fancied to supply her sire with a breakthrough Group 1 success. We run the rule over the eight-strong field in search of pedigree clues.

Cayenne Pepper
Ch Australia - Muwakaba (Elusive Quality)

The Jessica Harrington-trained filly is well fancied to go one better than when runner-up to Magical in the Pretty Polly Stakes, and certainly boasts the pedigree of a potential Classic winner.

The 195,000gns foal buy is the fifth produce and fourth winner out of Muwakaba, a winner over seven furlongs by Elusive Quality, a high-class runner over six furlongs to a mile. In turn, Muwakaba is out of Saleela, a half-sister to arguably the most influential broodmare of the current era, Urban Sea.

Australia in his paddock at CoolmoreCredit: Coolmore

This means names such as Urban Sea's Derby-winning sons Galileo and Sea The Stars appear in the third generation of Cayenne Pepper's pedigree, along with other Group 1 winners like 2014 Irish Oaks heroine Bracelet, King's Best, Anabaa Blue, Tamayuz, and recent Irish Derby hero Santiago.

Cayenne Pepper is from the second crop of the impeccably bred Australia, a son of Galileo and Anglo-Irish Oaks heroine Ouija Board. Australia is still awaiting his first Group 1 winner but has sired Group 2 scorers Beyond Reason and Leo De Fury, and top-flight place-getters like Broome and Sir Ron Priestley.

While Cayenne Pepper's dam's record raises some stamina queries, Australia's progeny are tending to stay well. As such, hope will be high the Oaks trip will prove within range.

Ennistymon
B Galileo - Lahinch (Danehill Dancer)

Bred and owned by Evie Stockwell, Ennistymon is the most prominent Galileo filly in the betting on account of her runner-up efforts in the Ribblesdale and the Oaks, where she finished nine lengths behind stablemate Love.

She is the tenth foal out of Lahinch, a daughter of Danehill Dancer from a family that Stockwell has done particularly well with in recent times. The dam carried Stockwell's recognisable pale blue silks with brown crossbelts to victory in the Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial, and also ran seventh in Kazzia's 1,000 Guineas.

Evie Stockwell: breeder of EnnistymonCredit: Patrick McCann

Since retiring to the paddocks she has produced seven winners, with Ennistymon joined by Group 3 Kilternan Stakes scorer The Bogberry and Ballyogan Stakes victress Liscanna.

Liscanna, a daughter of Sadler's Wells, has gone on to produce two top-level scorers since being mated with War Front, in Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Hit It A Bomb and Cheveley Park Stakes winner Brave Anna.

With solid form, a classy pedigree and stamina assured, Ennistymon looks certain to go close.

Snow
Ch Galileo - Chelsea Rose (Desert King)

Snow has taken her form to new heights since stepped up in trip, which comes as no surprise based on pedigree.

Coolmore's filly, the priciest member of the field having cost 1,200,000gns as a yearling, is a sibling to four winners, most notably Kew Gardens, winner of the St Leger and Long Distance Cup.

That pair are out of Chelsea Rose, a daughter of Irish 2,000 Guineas and Irish Derby hero Desert King who landed the Moyglare Stud Stakes. She is now the dam of five winners, with Snow and Kew Gardens joined by Group 3 scorer Thawaany and useful sprinters Pale Orchid and Flowers On Venus.

Like so many Galileos, Snow is progressing with racing, and her breeding suggests she should have more to offer.

Even So
B Camelot - Breeze Hill (Danehill)

The Ger Lyons-trained filly is one of 32 black-type winners by triple Classic hero Camelot, having won the Listed Naas Oaks Trial on her most recent outing. It is not just through her male line that Even So has inherited Classic-winning genes, as her maternal family also has a strong affiliation with Group 1 success.

She is the tenth and highest-achieving foal out of Breeze Hill, who failed to cut much ice when racing in Ireland but later won over ten furlongs in New Zealand. What Breeze Hill lacks in racing achievement, she makes up for in pedigree, as she is a half-sister to five winners, most notably Derby victor Dr Devious, who also landed the Dewhurst and Irish Champion Stakes.

Camelot puts on a show while parading at CoolmoreCredit: Patrick McCann

Among Breeze Hill's unraced siblings is Rain Flower, dam of Oaks heroine Dancing Rain and Sumora, who in turn is dam of Moyglare Stud Stakes scorer Maybe, herself dam of 2,000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior.

Camelot has bred four Group 1 winners, including Irish Derby victor Latrobe and South Australian Derby scorer Russian Camelot, and Even So isn't without a chance of becoming his fifth.

Laburnum
B Galileo - Secret Garden (Danehill)

The least-exposed runner, Laburnum, who was just a neck behind Even So in the Naas Oaks Trial, is another by Galileo and from a family that has already brought Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners Classic success.

She is the tenth foal out of Secret Garden, a Listed-winning daughter of Danehill whose offspring are headed by Laburnum's full-brother, Roderic O'Connor. He won two Group 1s during his racing days, the Criterium International at two, and Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Being by Galileo out of a Danehill mare means Laburnum is bred on the same cross as Group 1 winners such as Frankel, Highland Reel, Japan and Teofilo.

New York Girl
Ch New Approach - Annee Lumiere (Giant's Causeway)

The Joseph O'Brien-trained filly looked on an upward curve prior to a disappointing run against the colts in the Irish Derby, having finished fourth behind Peaceful - and one place ahead of Even So - in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her penultimate start.

She is by New Approach - sire of seven Group 1 winners, including Dawn Approach, Masar and Talent - and out of Listed-placed Annee Lumiere, a daughter of Giant's Causeway, meaning she shares her damsire with the likes of Beauty Parlour, Gun Runner and Lord North.

New Approach: sire of seven Group 1 winnersCredit: Edward Whitaker

The filly, who was purchased by Brian Grassick Bloodstock for 32,000gns, could provide Peter Kelly with a remarkable Irish Classic double, as he bred New York Girl with his father, renowned equine vet Paddy, having also produced Jet Setting, who sprang a surprise in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Passion
B Galileo - Dialafara (Anabaa)

The longest-priced of Galileo and O'Brien's four runners, Passion may have something to find on form but is no forlorn hope on pedigree. Not only is she by perennial champion sire Galileo, but she is out of Dialafara, making her a sister to Capri, winner of the Irish Derby and St Leger.

Passion is one of three black-type performers out of Dialafara, as she is also a sister to Cypress Creek, winner of the Group 3 Loughbrown Stakes.

Yaxeni
B Maxios - Kithonia (Sadler's Wells)

Would strike a major blow for those operating on a budget should she prevail, having cost Gaelic Bloodstock just €8,000 at the Goffs February Sale in 2018. She has already achieved far beyond that modest price-tag, having made a winning debut and gained black type when third in the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes.

Maxios: the only non Sadler's Wells line sire in the Irish Oaks fieldCredit: Marc Ruehl

She is by Monsun stallion Maxios, a dual Group 1 winner who now stands under the Coolmore banner at Castlehyde Stud. Although Yaxeni is the only runner not by a Sadler's Wells-line stallion, she is the daughter of a great breed-shaper, being out of the Listed-placed Kithonia, who hails from the family of Hernando.

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