Beautifully bred Galileo mare to take a twirl at Keeneland

The Keeneland November Breeding-Stock Sale has gained a lot of outstanding quality with Hill 'n' Dale Sales supplementing the regally bred Galileo mare Twirl to the auction next month.

Twirl is a sister to four-time Group 1 heroine Misty For Me and to Prix Marcel Boussac winner Ballydoyle. Misty For Me has been in the headlines this year as her consecutive offspring by War Front, Roly Poly and US Navy Flag, have won five top-level events between them.

The eight-year-old Twirl was no back number on the track herself, as she won the Listed Hurry Harriet Stakes and finished second in the Musidora Stakes and Park Express Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore partners before being switched to be trained by Bill Mott for Hill 'n' Dale Equine towards the end of her racing career.

Twirl, who will be offered in foal to Curlin as hip 366A, has an unraced two-year-old colt by War Front called Air Defence, a yearling filly by Bernardini and a filly foal by Tapit.

She has been entered for three previous auctions and withdrawn each time – Keeneland January in 2014 and 2015 and the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

Hill 'n' Dale has enjoyed conspicuous success with Coolmore-bred daughters of Galileo, most notably when selling Betterbetterbetter to Whisper Hill Farm for $5.2 million at Fasig-Tipton in 2013.

“Twirl represents a unique opportunity to purchase a stakes-winning, Graded-quality mare by the world’s leading sire, Galileo, from arguably the most prolific current pedigree in the world,” Hill ‘n’ Dale president John Sikura said.

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“Twirl is a sister to champion Ballydoyle and to Misty For Me, who is the dam this year of three-time Group 1 winner Roly Poly and US Navy Flag, recent winner of the Group 1 Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes.

“Twirl produced a beautiful filly by Tapit in 2017 and is in foal to leading sire Curlin. I don’t think there will be another mare presented to auction anywhere with this much quality and current relevance in Group 1 racing. She is a jewel.”

The Keeneland November Sale runs from November 7 to 18.

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