The Group I Yorkshire Oaks (1m4f) at York overnight delivered a rare trifecta for legendary sire Galileo with Warm Heart producing a tenacious display to claim victory and credit her Australian bred dam Sea Siren with her first Group I winner.
Trained Aidan O’Brien and ridden by James Doyle, Warm Heart won the Group II Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot two starts back before fading on heavy ground to finish fifth in the Group I Irish Oaks.
Back on firmer good footing at York, Warm Heart bounced back with a vengeance and was strong to the line to hold off a late charge from Frankie Dettori on Free Wind with the race favourite and Irish Oaks winner Savethelastdance in third place.
With four wins and a second from seven starts, Warm Heart holds entries for several upcoming Group I races so there may be more glory to come.
“It just didn't happen in the Irish Oaks. The ground was a little bit on the slow side. Warm Heart was lovely today. She's a very classy filly and you saw what she did in the Ribblesdale,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“She handles this ground very well so it's not a problem with her. She can do anything, she can go to France, she could end up in a Breeders' Cup.”
A homebred for the Coolmore partners, Warm Heart has a Group III placed full sister called Celestial Object and is the best of four winners from five foals to race so far from triple Group I winning Fastnet Rock mare Sea Siren.
A brilliant sprinter for the John O’Shea stable, Sea Siren posted Group I wins in the MVRC Manikato Stakes, BRC Doomben Ten Thousand and BTC Cup before finishing eighth in the 2013 Group I Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. She finished her career with a short preparation under Aidan O’Brien which yielded a stakes win and two stakes-placings in Ireland.
Sea Siren started her stud career in Ireland for Coolmore, but is now back in Australia and produced a colt by Camelot last spring.
She was one of 203 mares covered by Home Affairs in Australia last year in his first season at stud and delivered a colt by the champion sprinter last week.
The family of Sea Siren has been making headlines in Australia this year with the $1million Group I SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes winner Ruthless Dame adding further lustre to a page already packed with Black Type performers.
Warm Heart is the 99th Group I winner for champion sire Galileo, who died in 2021 and is his second from a daughter of Fastnet Rock. The nick has produced 24 winners from 29 runners and eight stakes-winners, so runs at 27.5% SW to runner!
