Galician gets record
‘T
HERE is no trainer in better form this
summer than Mark Johnston.’
These were the words of Channel 4 Racing's Clare
Balding after Galician had set a new track record at
Ascot in winning the valuable Betfair International Handicap on
July 27.
The International is a race which Mark likes to target, and it was
won by the stable's Laa Rayb back in 2008. This year, Mark
entered two horses -- Es Que Love and Galician.
Es Que Love was very much regarded as the more likely of the
pair to score. Crone Stud Farm's Clodovil colt has been in fantastic form this summer, following up two excellent runs at
Royal Ascot with heartbreaking narrow losses in the Coral
Challenge at Sandown and the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.
There is a feeling that he is better suited by seven furlongs Galician’s connections Deirdre Johnston (left), Joe Fanning (second right) and John Ferguson (right) receive their prizes from
than a mile, and so, understandably, he was well fancied and
sent off the 9/1 second favourite in a field of 29.
Shane Warne and Liz Hurley
Galician has had a busy racing year to date, but was clearly
thriving in July. The International was her 13th start of the year, but she
she's as hard as nails."
was allowed to start at odds of 33/1, presumably partly because punters
With Mark busy saddling Universal for the big race, his wife Deirdre told
had noted, as Mark’s son Charlie pointed out during his accomplished
Clare Balding: "She's been fantastic this season. That's her third win
performance on The Morning Line, that her previous wins this season had
already."
come in small-field races over a mile and partly because she was carryThe grey filly ran the seven furlongs in 1.24.28s which broke the previous
ing a penalty for her Newbury win.
record set by our own Rainfall at the 2010 Royal Ascot meeting.
As the field split into two main groups, Olivier Peslier soon had Es Que
“She’s obviously an incredibly tough filly,” said John Ferguson, Sheikh
Love travelling sweetly in the lead on the near side.
Mohammed’s bloodstock manager.
Once again, MJR followers held their breath hoping that his luck would
“She’s a well-bred filly conceived in Australia by Redoute’s Choice, who is
change and that the valuable win which his recent runs have deserved
known for his toughness, and she keeps delivering.”
would come his way. Galician, who had been drawn nearest to the rail,
Redoute's Choice, a son of Danehill, is now marketed as the 'King of
was travelling powerfully too, effectively getting a fantastic lead from Es
Australian sires'. Galician's dam Gweneira is a winning half-sister to the
Que Love.
dam of French Group 1 winner Alpine Rose, now in foal to Redoute’s Choice
With two furlongs to run, Galician had all but taken the lead of the nearafter visiting him at The Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval this year.
side group, and her stamina then proved decisive. Staying on well as the
field thundered towards the
post, Galician responded gamely to Joe Fanning's drive.
At the line she had won by half
a length from Trail Blaze, with
Loving Spirit a neck away in
third. A winning prize of
£62,250 made her victory all
the sweeter. Es Que Love finished fourth in his group, but
9th overall, out of the prizemoney. It had been another
great run by the colt whose
time will surely come.
Joe Fanning was delighted by
this high profile success on the
King George card.
"She's done that well," he told
Channel 4's Emma Spencer.
"She's a tough filly. She's had
Track record win for Galician (nearside) and Joe Fanning at Ascot
plenty of racing this year but
www.markjohnstonracing.com
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