Dettori Strikes With 'Gold' in 2000 Guineas

Al Shaqab Racing's Galileo Gold, a son of Paco Boy, cruised to a clear win in the QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) April 30 at Newmarket while favorite Air Force Blue sputtered through the final furlong before finishing unplaced.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Galileo Gold won by 1 1/2 lengths at 14-1 odds and covered the straight one mile in 1:35.91 on good to soft turf. Massaat (9-1) was second after leading a quarter mile out, and Ribchester (33-1) was third in the field of 13 for Great Britain’s first classic of the season.

Kentucky-breds Air Vice Marshal (20-1) and Kentuckyconnection (100-1) were fourth and fifth, respectively. 4-5 favorite and fellow Kentucky-bred Air Force Blue had no rally when called upon by Ryan Moore and was eased inside the final eighth before crossing the finish line in 12th place.

Overhauling Massaat more than a furlong out, Galileo Gold stayed on strongly to give Dettori his third win in the classic, 20 years after guiding in Mark of Esteem in the 1996 edition. He also piloted 1999 winner Island Sands.

"I had a lot of faith in this horse," Dettori told England's Press Association. "I knew I'd be in the first three. He's a great horse. My main thought was that he stays very well, and I knew if I made my way home, he'd gallop on strong.

"It was a great performance from an impossible draw (post 1) in an impossible race, but it showed what a champion he could be. Everything was against him and he was still much the best."

Galileo Gold won for the fourth time in six career starts and added a first top-level win to his record. He won last year’s Vintage Stakes (Eng-II) at Goodwood amid a three-race win streak and finished third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Fr-I) at Longchamp to cap the season for trainer Hugo Palmer.

"Frankie was so alert, he said nothing had been coming from behind and that if nothing took us on, he would do it himself and he did," Palmer said.

The first group I winner for Paco Boy, Galileo Gold is from the family of European champion and prominent sire Montjeu. He was bred in Great Britain by Brian O’Rourke from the Galileo mare Galicuix, a half sister to 2015 King's Stand Stakes (Eng-I) winner Goldream.

Galileo Gold sold to Amanda Skiffington for €33,000 ($42,398) at the Tattersalls Ireland September yearling sale. Donnellys Well consigned as agent. The colt is from the second crop of multiple group I winner Paco Boy, who stands at Highclere Stud in England.