Full Sister to The Gurkha to Debut at Gowran Park
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Photo: Courtesy Coolmore Stud
The Gurkha at Coolmore Stud
Woodland Garden, a full sister to Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1) and Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) hero The Gurkha , is set to be the latest blue-blood to debut for Aidan O'Brien at Gowran Park May 5.
The 3-year-old is the sixth foal out of the high-class Danehill Dancer mare Chintz , the winner of the C.L. Weld Park Stakes (G3) for David Wachman.
Chintz is herself out of Gold Dodger, a listed-winning half sister to Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) heroine Solemia and Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, G1) runner-up Prospect Park among five black type-performing siblings.
The Gurkha is the most heralded of Chintz' progeny. The son of Galileo made up for lost time at two when landing the French Two Thousand Guineas by 5 1/2 lengths on his third start.
He went on to finish second in the St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) and Coral-Eclipse (G1) before defeating his Royal Ascot conqueror and Newmarket QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Galileo Gold in the Sussex Stakes.
The pair are also full siblings to Queen Nefertiti , a winner and third in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes (G3) for Wachman and the Coolmore partners.
The Gurkha, who now stands at Coolmore for a fee of €5,000, has sired the winners of 29 races, including dual German group 3 winner Best of Lips .
Woodland Garden is due to face 16 rivals in the extended nine-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, with the Dermot Weld-trained and Juddmonte-owned Apres Toi—a daughter of Frankel and Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Atalanta Stakes (G3) scorer Ladys First , who was a respectable fifth on her debut—among her challengers.