Darby Racing secure a pair of Galileo colts at Tattersalls

Darby Racing were active at the second session of the Tattersalls August Sale yesterday, picking up two colts by the late Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) from the Ballydoyle draft.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained three-year-old’s Father’s Day (Lot 391) and Iowa (Lot 393) were secured in a matter of minutes by Hubie De Burgh of De Burgh Equine for Darby, with the pair selling for 80,000gns (approx. AU$157,150) and 100,000gns (approx. AU$196,500) respectively.

"They're both going to Australia for Darby Racing," said Hubie De Burgh. "They're not making any more Galileos and we love taking them down to Australia.

“Aidan does the work for us early on and then they're ready to go when they arrive. We bought Harpo Marx from Ballydoyle here and he's just won a Group 3 at the weekend.”

Father’s Day, who has placed once in two starts, is out of Fire Lily (Dansili), a Group 3 winner who has twiced finished runner-up in elite-level company.

"Father's Day has a huge page and the brother Somerset Maugham has already gone to Australia and won four races, and The United States won a Group 1 in Australia too.

“Because this horse hasn't won yet we have the advantage of being able to go for a maiden down there. He vetted very clean for us and he stays a mile and a half so it all just fitted into place.”

Iowa, meanwhile, has won one of his 12 career starts. Out of Bridal Dance (Danehill Dancer), Iowa is a half-brother to Group 2 winners Hawksmoor (Azamour) and Royal Dornoch (Gleneagles).

He finished fourth to Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) performer Master Of Reality (Frankel) when they faced off at Listed level in June.

"Iowa is obviously more exposed but he's another with a huge page and his best runs have been his last runs as he's been stepped up in trip. He just looks nailed on for Australia, he's going to be a mile-and-a-half horse down there.

“His run against Master Of Reality, who finished second in the Melbourne Cup before being disqualified, was pretty good.

"Buying these horses at auction is such better value than if you went to buy them privately, the prices are so different, and Scott Darby likes the auction process as he feels we can get better value than if we went after these horses privately.

"We got two very good horses out of Tattersalls a couple of years ago in Harpo Marx and Spirit Ridge and they were first and second in a Group 3 on Saturday, so why would you change the process if it's working? Hopefully we'll be winning Group races with these two new purchases in the not too distant future."