Frankel and War Front double up against Galileo's latest champion

AL WUKAIR

Dream Ahead-Macheera (Machiavellian)

Bred by: Ballylinch Stud

Sold to: Al Shaqab Racing for 200,000gns at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1

Al Wukair hails from the second crop of Dream Ahead, who was rated joint-champion two-year-old with Frankel after winning the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes, the latter by nine lengths; and excelled as a sprinter a three, when he landed the July Cup, Haydock Sprint Cup and Prix de la Foret (in which he took the notable scalp of Goldikova).

The other best offspring by Dream Ahead – standing at Haras de Grandcamp in Normandy, this season at a fee of €12,000 – are Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte winner and Prix Maurice de Gheest second Donjuan Triumphant; Angelsey Stakes scorer Final Frontier; plus the fast two-year-olds Boos and Raucous.

Al Wukair is a half-brother to two winners – Witches Brew, a 7f maiden winner who was Listed-placed over 7f-1m at three, and Ballyorban, a 6-7f winner at two and three.

He is out of the Machiavellian mare Macheera, a 1m winner on her debut at two and a half-sister to La Nuit Rose, who finished third in the French and Irish 1,000 Guineas and produced high-class 1m-1m3f winner Tam Lin; Luminous Beauty, who was Listed-placed over 1m; and Lina De Vega, a smart winner over 1m.

Macheera and her siblings are out of Caerlina, who finished third in the French 1,000 Guineas and won the French Oaks.

What does the dam have next? A two-year-old colt by Dream Ahead (named Dream Today, sold for 42,000gns as a yearling and in training with Mark Johnston); a yearling filly by Charm Spirit; visited Exceed And Excel last year.

BARNEY ROY

Excelebration-Alina (Galileo)

Bred by: Eliza Park International Pty Ltd

Sold to: Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock for £70,000 at the DBS Premier Yearling Sale; previously sold to AT Bloodstock for 30,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

Barney Roy hails from the first crop of the Exceed And Excel stallion Excelebration, a top-class miler unfortunate to be born in the same year as Frankel, as he finished placed behind the dual world champion on five occasions. When Frankel was out of the way, he won the German 2,000 Guineas, Hungerford Stakes, Prix du Moulin, Prix Jacques le Marois and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Barney Roy is, by a margin of 15lbs on Racing Post Ratings, the best performer by Excelebration, who stands at Coolmore at a fee of €10,000.

He is the first foal out of the Galileo mare Alina, who was unplaced in two starts over 1m-1m1f in France. Notably, Galileo has featured as damsire of two of the last three 2,000 Guineas winners – Night Of Thunder and Galileo Gold.

Alina is out of Cheyenne Star, a Group 3 winner over 7f and 1m, and Cheyenne Star is in turn a half-sister to the dam of top-class sprinter Gordon Lord Byron.

What does the dam have next? A two-year-old filly by Dark Angel named Wisdom Mind in training with Criquette Head-Maarek; a yearling filly by Kodiac; a colt foal by Free Eagle.

CHURCHILL

Galileo-Meow (Storm Cat)

Homebred by: Liberty Bloodstock

Churchill is by Coolmore's brilliant, breed-shaping stallion Galileo, who has supplied 63 Group/Grade 1 winners including Frankel, Gleneagles, Golden Lilac, Magician, Marvellous, Minding, Misty For Me, Nightime, Roderic O'Connor and The Gurkha – all of whom have won either British, Irish or French Guineas races. Derby winners Australia and New Approach were also placed in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Like Frankel and Gleneagles, Galileo's previous 2,000 Guineas winners, Churchill is out of a mare whose metier was sprinting. His dam Meow won a Tipperary maiden and the Listed Grangecon Stud Stakes, both over 5f, and was second in the Queen Mary Stakes over the same distance. She in turn is out of the fine sprinter Airwave, winner of the Cheveley Park Stakes and the Temple Stakes, and runner-up in the Golden Jubilee Stakes.

Meow is a half-sister to two smart horses by Galileo, who are therefore bred along very similar lines to Churchill: Aloof, a Group 3 winner over 1m1½f, and Orator, a Listed winner over 1m.

What does the dam have next? A two-year-old filly by Galileo named Clemmie; a yearling colt by Galileo; returned to Galileo last year.

DREAM CASTLE

Frankel-Sand Vixen (Dubawi)

Homebred by: Darley

Dream Castle is one of two 2,000 Guineas runners from the debut crop of dual world champion Frankel, who so memorably destroyed the field in the Newmarket Classic in 2011. Frankel has made a bright start to his second career at Banstead Manor Stud, where he commands a fee of £125,000, having fielded eight stakes winners and three other black-type performers.

Dream Castle is a half-brother to Emirates Challenge, who failed to reach the first three in six starts, out of the fast and forward Dubawi mare Sand Vixen, winner of the Flying Childers Stakes and St Hugh's Stakes. Sand Vixen is, in turn, a half-sister to So Will I, winner of the Listed Carnarvon Stakes over 6f and third in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes over 7f.

What does the dam have next? A two-year-old colt by Exceed And Excel; no yearling (barren to Invincible Spirit); visited Dawn Approach last year.

EMINENT

Frankel-You'll Be Mine (Kingmambo)

Bred by: Premier Bloodstock
Sold to: Dermot Farrington for 150,000gns at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1

Eminent, Frankel's other runner in the race, is from a family chock-full of high achievers. He is the second foal out of You'll Be Mine, a daughter of Kingmambo who finished third in the Fillies' Mile at two, after 6f maiden winner As Good As Gold.

You'll Be Mine is out of Quarter Moon, winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes at two and fifth in the 1,000 Guineas before she finished placed in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Oaks, Irish Oaks and Nassau Stakes at three.

Quarter Moon - also the dam of Diamondsandrubies, winner of the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes over 1m2f – is a sister to Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine and Oaks runner-up Yesterday; Oaks third All My Loving (later produced Hardwicke and King Edward VII Stakes winner Thomas Chippendale); and classy middle-distance fillies Betterbetterbetter and Hold Me Love Me.

Further back it is the family of Nassau Stakes winner Last Second and her French 2,000 Guineas-winning son Aussie Rules, plus dual Champion Stakes heroine Alborada.

What does the dam have next? No yearling or foal (barren to Frankel both years); visited Fastnet Rock last year.

LANCASTER BOMBER

War Front-Sun Shower (Indian Ridge)

Homebred by: Sun Shower Syndicate

Lancaster Bomber is one of two representatives at Newmarket by leading Kentucky sire War Front, who has 13 top-level winners on his record but also a bit of a point to prove with no three-year-old Group 1 winners in Europe – despite having supplied ace two-year-olds Air Force Blue, Faydhan, Hit It A Bomb and War Command.

Lancaster Bomber certainly has an impressive maternal pedigree that could help rectify that discrepancy for War Front, who stands at Claiborne Farm at a fee of $250,000. He is a half-brother to Excelebration, the triple Group 1-winning miler responsible for Barney Roy, and to Mull Of Killough, a Newmarket specialist who won the Earl of Sefton Stakes twice and the Darley Stakes over 1m1f at the course.

Sun Shower, the dam of Lancaster Bomber, was placed over 1m1f and 1m3f in France and is a granddaughter of Sarah Siddons, winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Yorkshire Oaks and second in the Irish Oaks.

An intriguing footnote to the breeding of Lancaster Bomber is the sale to India of Sun Shower for just €10,000 in the last recession, after Excelebration had been foaled. Following the emergence of her star son, Coolmore repatriated her from the subcontinent.

LARCHMONT LAD

Footstepsinthesand-Fotini (King's Best)

Bred by: Domenico Fonzo
Sold to: Peter and Ross Doyle for €110,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale

Larchmont Lad boasts a 2,000 Guineas winner as both his sire and damsire.

His sire Footstepsinthesand was a clear-cut winner of the Classic in the final start of his short career and he has compiled a solid if unspectacular list of progeny during his time at Coolmore, where he stands at a fee of €10,000. He is the sire of five Group 1 winners but only one of his offspring – French 2,000 Guineas third Shamalgan – has made any impact over a Classic mile in Britain, Ireland or France.

Larchmont Lad is a half-brother to Peticoatgovernment, a 7f winner at two and later a smart sprint handicapper, out of Fotini, an unraced daughter of King's Best – who easily accounted for Footstepsinthesand's sire Giant's Causeway in the 2,000 Guineas.
Fotini is a half-sister to Italian 2,000 Guineas winner Spirit Of The Desert from the family of Hardwicke Stakes winner Posidonas and St Leger second Unsung Heroine.

What does the dam have next? Covered by Born To Sea in 2014 and Gale Force Ten in 2015, but no returns registered with Weatherbys.

LAW AND ORDER

Lawman-Catbells (Rakti)

Bred by: Mr and Mrs Clive Martin
Sold to: Rabbah Bloodstock for 40,000gns at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2

Law And Order is by Lawman, winner of the French Derby and Prix Jean Prat who has sired five Group 1 winners including Just The Judge, winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas after finishing second in the Newmarket race. The sire, who stands at Ballylinch Stud at a fee of €25,000, is also responsible for St James's Palace Stakes winner Most Improved and French 2,000 Guineas third Dicton.

Law And Order does not have the most persuasive pedigree claims in the race as the only stakes winner under his first three dams. He is a half-brother to Mrs Eve, who failed to win from 14 starts, out of Catbells, a daughter of Rakti whose only win from 23 runs came in a Class 5 handicap over 1m1½f at Wolverhampton.

Catbells is a half-sister to Richmond Stakes third Exhibition and 6f maiden winner None Shall Sleep (both by Lawman's sire Invincible Spirit), as well as Annaboda, placed in Listed events over 1m and 1m2f at Sweden.

What does the dam have next? A two-year-old filly by Arcano.

SPIRIT OF VALOR

War Front-Stone Hope (Grindstone)

Bred by: Nursery Place
Sold to: Clear Ridge Stables for $850,000 at the Keeneland November Foal Sale

Another aiming to become that first European Classic winner for War Front, Spirit Of Valor is a half-brother to Street Life, a three-time winner at around 1m in the US who also finished fourth in the Belmont Stakes over 1m4f.

His dam Stone Hope, by Kentucky Derby hero Grindstone, won over 6½f on the dirt aged four and is a half-sister to Brilliant, a dual Graded winner on the turf over 1m1f.

The War Front pair of Spirit Of Valor and Lancaster Bomber are bidding to become the first US-bred winner of the 2,000 Guineas since Henrythenavigator in 2008.

TOP SCORE

Hard Spun-Windsor County (Elusive Quality)

Homebred by: Darley

Top Score is a rare European Classic runner by Kentucky sire Hard Spun, a versatile customer in his own racing career who finished second in the Kentucky Derby, third in the Preakness and fourth in the Belmont before dropping back to 7f to win the Grade 1 King's Bishop Stakes. Hard Spun – who stands at Jonabell Farm at $45,000 – has supplied the top-notchers Questing and Wicked Strong in America, while he may be best known in Europe for his high-class and hard-knocking sprinting son Moviesta.

Top Score is the first foal out of Windsor County, an unraced sister to Raven's Pass, a decent fourth to Henrythenavigator in the 2,000 Guineas who went on to win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic.

Windsor County is also a half-sister to Gigawatt, a US Grade 3 winner over 1m, and is closely related to champion two-year-old filly Rainbow View.

What does the dam have next? No two-year-old; a yearling filly by Shamardal; visited Invincible Spirit last year.