Dual Classic hero Gleneagles to field first runner at Newbury

Gleneagles, the four-time Group 1-winning son of Galileo, will be represented by his first runner when Highland Chief lines up in the opening West Berkshire Brewery "Newcomers" EBF Maiden Stakes over 5f at Newbury on Friday (2.00).

Bred and raced by Fitri Hay, the colt is the fourth foal out of Pink Symphony, a daughter of Montjeu who won a Cork Group 3 aged four. He will make his debut just shy of his actual second birthday, having been foaled on April 17.

Despite being by a noted influence for stamina, Pink Symphony ran three times at two. Her best juvenile effort came on her third start when she finished fourth to subsequent dual Group 1 winner Lillie Langtry, who also shot to prominence as the dam of Minding.

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There is further evidence of precocity in the family, as Pink Symphony is closely related to Group 3-winning juvenile Fantasia, and in turn that pair are out of a daughter of champion two-year-old Blue Duster, winner of the 1995 Cheveley Park Stakes.

Gleneagles was a top-class two-year-old himself, making his debut in early June and then going unbeaten during his next four starts, a run that included victories in the Futurity Stakes and the National Stakes. He rounded off his juvenile campaign with a first-past-the-post effort in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, only to be demoted to third having been deemed to have caused interference.

Gleneagles lands the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Charlie Crowhurst

Under the guidance of Aidan O'Brien, Gleneagles returned at three to land a trio of Group 1 prizes, including the Anglo-Irish 2,000 Guineas double and the St James's Palace Stakes.

Not only does he boast an impressive race record, but Gleneagles also possesses one of the strongest families around. He is the second foal out of You'resothrilling, a Storm Cat sister to the iron horse Giant's Causeway, who landed the 2007 Cherry Hinton Stakes.

The siblings are out of the increasingly important Mariah's Storm, who also produced Pearling, the dam of three-time Group 1 winner and Irish National Stud resident Decorated Knight.

The Paul Cole-trained Highland Chief is one of 109 foals from Gleneagles' debut crop, who were bred at an advertised fee of €60,000. A total of 53 Gleneagles yearlings were sold across Europe last year, with that group averaging a price of 117,736gns.

His two priciest yearling are the 500,000gns filly out of Tarbela, bought by Blandford Bloodstock at Book 1 and since named Precious Moments, and the colt out of Lady Eclair who topped the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale at £380,000.

Signed for by Sackville Donald on behalf of King Power Racing, the colt has been named Mahanakhon Power.

Highland Chief is not the only runner representing a first-season sire in the Newbury opener, with Cable Bay's daughter Separate due to line up for Richard Hannon.

Separate will be bidding to take her sire's record to two wins from two runners, after Cable Bay's first runner, Electric Ladyland, made a winning debut at Lingfield earlier in the month.

More first-season sire news:

Muhaarar 11-4 favourite to top first-season sire charts