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Making his career debut in a maiden at Newmarket in August 2010 the Galileo colt Nathaniel had the great misfortune to run into another young debutant by Galileo named Frankel.
He may have been second best that day but Nathaniel has shown to be top-class in his own right.
Running for the all-conquering team of trainer John
Gosden and jockey William Buick, Nathaniel was making his first start since
defeating Workforce in last year's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) when he turned back the challenge of Farhh in
Saturday's Group 1 Coral-Eclipse stakes at Sandown.
"It's fantastic, it's going so well but that was a fantastic training performance from John Gosden, Buick told The Racing Post.
"To get this horse here and in the shape he was in, it's a credit to John. It was a real good training performance and the credit should go to him.
"He's got real quality, he showed today what a good horse he is and I've always had a lot of faith in the horse. He's beat a good bunch of horses and he's showed his versatility today in a top-class mile and a quarter race. All being well, he'll go back for the King George."
Earlier in the day Nathaniel's year younger sister Great Heavens won the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock for owner/breeder Lady Rothschild.
Their dam Magnificent Style (Silver Hawk) must take her place among the great broodmares of modern times.
All ten of her foals to race have won and eight are stakes winners.
Besides Nathaniel and Great Heavens she is the dam of Fillies Mile (G1) winner Playful Act (Sadler's Wells), Sun Chariot Stakes (G2) winner Echoes In Eternity (Spinning World), The Very One Stakes (G3) winner Changing Skies (Sadler's Wells), Yorkshire Cup (G2) winner Percussionist(Sadler's Wells) and the Listed stakes-winners Stylestick (Storm Cat) and Petara Bay (Peintre Celebre).
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