The Ballydoyle production line of quality Galileo 3YO’s has been churning out new stakes-winners in the past few weeks with two more overnight winning Classic trials, while glamour colt Luxembourg is on the sidelines for now.
The Group III Derby Trial Stakes (1m 2f) at Leopardstown was won by race favourite Stone Age, who bolted in to win by more than five lengths at his second run this year following a facile maiden win at Navan.
Winless, but Group I placed at two, the Aidan O’Brien trained colt has clearly grown into his potential and is priced as short as 3-1 for the Epsom Derby.
Stone Age is the second winner from Bonanza Creek, a winning sibling to champion French 3YO Bright Sky and Group III winner Board Meeting, the dam of Galileo stakes-winner Big Blue.
Stone Age may well make up for the disappointment of the stable’s leading Derby contender Luxembourg (Camelot) being ruled out of the Derby due to a muscle problem.
The Group III Cornelscourt Stakes (1m) for the fillies at Leopardstown went the way of another Aidan O’Brien trained runner in History, who scored a three-quarter length win with connections looking to progress to the Irish 1000 Guineas rather than an Oaks.
It was the first run of the year for History, who had a win and two placings last season, but was untested in stakes company.
History is the first winner from Prize Exhibit, a Group II winning full sister to Group I winning miler Mohaather.
Galileo moves to 353 overall lifetimes stakes-winners with this pair of promising 3YO’s and has seven stakes-winners from his current crop of 3YO’s.
