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Delphi and Armory land Group 3s
Aidan O’Brien, Seamie Heffernan and Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) clinched a Group 3 double at the Curragh on Friday, as Armory (3 c Galileo - After by Danehill Dancer) added a third stakes win to his CV in the Royal Whip Stakes (Gr 3, 1m2f), while Delphi (3 c Galileo - Bye Bye Birdie by Oasis Dream) landed his second stakes victory in the Irish St Leger Trial Stakes (Gr 3, 1m6f).
Delphi kicked off the double when beating Master Of Reality (Frankel) by a short-head, while Micro Manage (Rip Van Winkle) was another two and a half lengths away in third.
The colt - who won the Nijinsky Stakes (Listed, 1m4f) on his most recent start - is out of Balanchine Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) winner Bye Bye Birdie (Oasis Dream), again showing Galileo’s power when mated with speedy mares. Bye Bye Birdie is also the dam of Group 3-placed Credenza (Galileo).
Further back, Delphi’s third dam is Masskana (Darshaan), who in turn produced Hong Kong Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Eagle Mountain (Rock Of Gibraltar) and dual Grade 1 winner Dank (Dansili) and fellow elite scorer Sulk (Selkirk) - the dam of Listed scorer Ibn Buttuta (Seeking The Gold).
Masskana is also the dam of Group 3 winner Wallace (Royal Academy) and the dam of Listed scorer Pimpernel (Invincible Spirit), who in turn is the dam of UAE 2,000 Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) winner Gold Town (Street Cry).
This is also the same family as New Zealand Listed winner Lady Le Fay (Thorn Park) and fellow stakes winner Lord Badger (Badger’s Drift).
The colt is bred on the same cross as Group 3 winners Midterm and Lancaster House.
In the next race on the card, Armory overcame trouble in running to beat Numerian (Holy Roman Emperor) by neck, while Sinawann (Kingman) was a further length further back in third.
The three-year-old colt - who had not saluted the judge since his victory in the Futurity Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) in August 2019 - is out of Group 3-placed mare Danehill Dancer (Danehill), making him a brother to dual winner Bond Street.
After herself is a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Noahs Ark (Charnwood Forest), who in turn produced Listed scorer Temps Au Temps (Invincible Spirit).
Further back this is the family of dual Grade 1 winner Wandesta (Nashwan), Grade 2 winner De Quest (Rainbow Quest) and Listed-winning duo Source Of Light (Rainbow Quest) and Turners Hill (Top Ville).
Coolmore Stud-based sire Galileo has stood for a private fee since 2008, and he will be represented in Australia this season by his sire sons Adelaide, Churchill and Highland Reel.
