Galatea (horse)

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Galatea
Sire
1000 Guineas (1939)
Epsom Oaks
(1939)

Galatea (also known as Galatea II; 1936–1949) was a French-bred, British-trained

1000 Guineas over one mile at Newmarket and The Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom Downs Racecourse
a month later. She was beaten in her only subsequent race and was retired to stud, where she had some success as a broodmare.

Background

Galatea was a big, powerfully built

Singer Sewing Machine company. Her sire Dark Legend, who was twenty-two when Galatea was foaled, finished third in the 1917 Epsom Derby and later became a champion racehorse in India.[2] At stud he was a strong influence for stamina[3] and his best runners included Easton (runner-up in the Derby), Duplex (Prix du Jockey Club) and Dark Japan (Goodwood Cup). He later became known as the damsire of Dante and Sayajirao. Galatea's dam Galaday won seven races in the United States before becoming Clark's first winner in England in 1931. At stud, she was a successful and influential broodmare, being the direct female ancestor of many winners including Never Say Die who won the Derby and St Leger for Clark in 1954.[4]

Clark sent the filly to be trained in England by Joseph Lawson at his stables at Manton in Wiltshire.[5] In England she was known as Galatea II to distinguish her from an English-bred racehorse with the same name.

Racing career

1938: two-year-old season

Galatea failed to win a race in two starts as a two-year-old in 1938. She showed promise however, by finishing third behind Seaway and Aurora in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on 12 October.[6]

1939: three-year-old season

On her three-year-old debut, Galatea won the Lingfield Park Spring Stakes in which she defeated a colt named Casanova who had won the Dewhurst Stakes the previous autumn. Although she was carrying seventeen pounds less than the colt, the win was enough to establish her as a contender for the classics.[7]

In the 1000 Guineas over Newmarket's Rowley Mile course on 28 April, Galatea started at odds of

2000 Guineas over the same course two days earlier.[1]

On 26 May, Galatea was moved up in distance for the one-and-a-half-mile Oaks at Epsom. She was made 10/11 favourite against twenty opponents. In a slowly run race, Jones positioned Galatea just behind the leaders and was in third place following Olein and Ella A. on the final turn. Early in the straight, Galatea took the lead and went clear of the field, but Jones appeared to ease the favourite down in the final furlong and was almost caught by the French-trained filly White Fox, who finished strongly on the inside. The winning margin was a head, with three lengths back to Superbe in third. Jones claimed after the race that he had the situation under control and could have won by much further had he so wished.

Royal Ascot in which she carried 130 pounds and finished sixth behind Olein.[9]

Galatea had been considered a contender for the

War in September,[10] preventing her from attempting the Fillies Triple Crown
, and she never raced again.

Assessment and honours

In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Galatea an "average" winner of the 1000 Guineas and Oaks.[11]

Breeding record

In 1940, Galatea and her dam Galaday were shipped to the United States, arriving at Boston on 13 July.[12] At stud in America, Galatea produced three winners including Sugar Bun (by Mahmoud), who in turn produced the Jockey Club Stakes winner Darling Boy. Another daughter, Javotte, by Whirlaway failed to win herself, but bred five winners.[2] Galatea died in 1949.[13]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Galatea (FR), brown mare, 1936[14]
Sire
Dark Legend (GB)
1914 		Dark Ronald
1905 		Bay Ronald Hampton
Black Duchess
Darkie Thurio
Insignia
Golden Legend
bay 1907 		Amphion Rosebery
Suicide
St Lucre St Serf
Fairy Gold
Dam
Galaday (FR)
1927
Sir Gallahad III

1920 		Teddy Ajax
Rondeau
Plucky Liege Spearmint
Concertina
Sunstep
1916 		Sunstar Sundridge
Doris
Ascenseur Eager
Skyscraper (Family No. 1-n)[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "FAVOURITES SUCCEED". Evening Post. 17 May 1939. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  2. ^
    ISBN 0-354-08536-0
    .
  3. ^ "FRENCH-BRED FILLY". Evening Post. 16 May 1939. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  4. ^ a b "Chelandry - Family 1-n". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  5. ^ "Person Profile : Joseph Lawson". Horseracing History Online. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  6. ^ "THE ONE THOUSAND". Evening Post. 29 April 1939. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  7. ^ "English Three-year-olds". Auckland Star. 19 May 1939. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  8. ^ a b "GALATEA II THE OAKS". Evening Post. 30 June 1939. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  9. ^ "SPORTING NEWS THE TURF. TURF NOTES". Townsville Daily Bulletin. 2 Aug 1939. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  10. ^ "NO CROWDS WANTED". Evening Post. 28 September 1939. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
  11. ISBN 1-901570-15-0
    .
  12. ^ "U.S. gets British horses". Leader-Post. 13 July 1940. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  13. ^ The Jockey Club (1950). "*Galatea II". American Stud Book. 20: 388.
  14. ^ "Galatea". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
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