Eclipse Hero Could Be a Coolmore Mega Sire

After St Mark's Basilica (Siyouni-Cabaret, by Galileo) won the Gr1 Eclipse in eye-popping fashion as a short favourite, Michael Tabor, one of the leading investors in Coolmore's extensive bloodstock interests, made an off the cuff comment that hinted at future plans for the farm, reports racingpost.com. "The vibes from (trainer) Aidan (O'Brien) were really strong – he just couldn't see him getting beat," said Tabor. "I did back him today but it was certainly at shorter than the morning prices." Favouritism aside, St Mark's Basilica has a major future at stud in the planning. "Let's face it, this is not a poor man's business," said Tabor. "To make things pay, you need to create stallions. If you do, it can be quite lucrative." Tabor noted, "Galileo is not going to last forever, is he? He is pretty near done. Siyouni could fill a big hole, but [son] St Mark's Basilica has won the Poulains, the Jockey Club and now the Eclipse. He can't be too bad. He's not too shabby." Coolmore's headline multiple Champion Sire Galileo (Sadler's Wells-Urban Sea, by Miswaki) is now a 23-year-old, and while the globally significant stud farm has many of his sons and grandsons at stud, they also have a half-share in Gr1 Grand Prix de la Arc d'Triomphe winner Sottsass (Siyouni-Starlet's Sister, by Galileo), pointing to a potential changing of the guard in bloodlines they are chasing. St Mark's Basilica has now won five of his eight starts, including four Gr1 events in succession – the Gr1 Dewhurst Stakes, Gr1 French Guineas, and Gr1 French Derby before this weekend's Gr1 Eclipse win. For Australians wanting to understand the form around St Mark's Basilica, in well-beaten second place in the Gr1 Eclipse was Addyebb (Pivotal-Bush Cat, by Kingmambo), whose battles with Verry Elleegant (Zed-Opulence, by Danroad) are well known.