Godolphin get set to debut 1,000,000gns breeze-up sale-topper by Galileo

Our resident bloodstock experts profile the well-bred eyecatchers and expensive purchases set to grace the track.

Royal Officer

British EBF Maiden Stakes (2.40 Sandown, Friday)

Forecast odds: 15-8

What's the story?

After a false start at Haydock, Godolphin debut a special newcomer at Sandown on Friday in the form of Royal Officer, a son of Galileo who topped the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale when selling for a cool 1,000,000gns. 

He is just one of 13 two-year-olds from the final crop of the Coolmore phenomenon Galileo and provided Glending Stables' Roderic Kavanagh's team with a brilliant pinhook, having cost them 125,000gns from the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

Kavanagh said after the seven-figure sale: "You do start to dream and the last month has been tense because you know you have something special. 

“We were disciplined all year and didn’t lose the run of ourselves, but when this horse came up [as a yearling] you could feel there was a possibility to get something unique.

Royal Officer at Tattersalls in AprilCredit: Laura Green

“It does help that you’ve sold a horse like Vandeek but I didn’t think this would happen. I have other horses coming here and it didn’t happen for them. But maybe that’s just the attributes of this horse, he just doesn’t disappoint. Hopefully he won’t disappoint anyone where he goes next.” 

How's he bred?

The May-born bay is the seventh foal out of the Clodovil mare Manderley, a winner and fourth in the 1,000 Guineas for Richard Hannon and Julie Wood. 

Manderley is a sister to Gregorian, winner of the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes and second in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat. Manderley and the Rathasker Stud stallion are also half-siblings to Naval Warfare, a Group 2-placed performer in Australia.

That makes Royal Officer a close relation to French Listed winner Hidden Dimples and Canadian juvenile winner Mrs Frankel, both by Frankel. Manderley has a yearling filly by Wootton Bassett. 

Who does he face?

Eleven have been declared against Royal Officer in the 7f maiden, seven of whom are also making their debut. 

One is Wathnan Racing's Consolidation, like Royal Officer a Craven Breeze-Up Sale graduate having fetched 300,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock, when consigned by Powerstown Stud. He is by Too Darn Hot and dam Pure Line has thrown multiple winners in Nazca and Pure Dreamer.

The brother of Listed Surrey Stakes winner Olivia Maralda, Amo Racing's Maximus Alexios, is also among the debutants. His full-sibling was only half a length away from becoming a Grade 1 winner in the Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita last month. The 125,000gns paid for the Tally-Ho Stud-bred colt at Tattersalls October Book 1 last year by Amo, in conjunction with Hamish Macauley and Ben McElroy, could come to look money very well spent.

Of those to have run, Attack, by Wootton Bassett and the first foal out of Prix Marcel Boussac winner Albigna, probably sets the standard having finished runner-up on his debut at Yarmouth last month. He cost €460,000 from the Goffs Orby Sale last autumn. 

Anything else to note on Friday?

Indeed. Wootton Bassett has already had a mention and there's also a notable juvenile filly by him making her debut at Cork (4.50) in the shape of Sweet Chariot. 

She is an Aidan O'Brien-trained runner for the Coolmore partners who is out of Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Clemmie, the sister to dual Guineas hero Churchill. 

A sizeable field of 17 has been declared for this fillies' maiden over six furlongs, but connections will no doubt be hoping that Sweet Chariot will be in the mix.

Goffs London Sale

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