Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore team produced the trifecta in the Group I Irish Derby (1m4f) overnight at The Curragh, but while the two place-getters were both colts by Galileo, the winner Santiago is by Authorized, who now stands in Turkey.
A last start winner of the Group II Royal Ascot Queen’s Vase, Santiago was favourite for this assignment and duly delivered for Seamie Heffernan scoring a head win over his stablemate Tiger Moth.
Santiago has had five starts for three wins and two seconds.
“Santiago is a lovely straightforward horse that likes to take his time in his races. Seamie got a lovely run through and he stayed very well. He's still progressing and in a month's time he'll be even better,” said Aidan O'Brien.
“We thought he was going to be a Leger horse and I think that will be a lovely race for him. We think he'll be a lovely Cup horse for next year but he has plenty of class and he's one to look forward to.”
Santiago is the first winner for Wadyhatta, a half-sister by Cape Cross to stakes-winner Montamarris from the family of Group I winners Tamayuz and Anabaa Blue.
He is the sixth Group I winner for former Darley shuttler Authorized, who shuttled to Australia for four seasons and is best known here as the sire of Australian bred Group I winners Complacent and Pounamou as well as his imported Godolphin flagbearer Hartnell, who won four Aussie G1 races and over $7million in prizemoney.
