WINNER at the weekend of the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes in stunning fashion, the Niarchos Family-bred four-year-old Yucatan (Galileo) has emerged as a leading hope for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in a few weeks’ time. A Group 3 winner in Ireland and runner-up in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at two, he is bred for success at the highest level.

A full-brother to Grade 3 US and listed French winner Faufiler and to this year’s smart juvenile in Ireland, Mount Everest, both by Galileo (Sadler’s Wells), Yucatan is a half-brother to Group 2 Prix di Gros-Chene hero Planet Five (Storm Cat). They are all out of the outstanding racemare Six Perfections (Celtic Swing) and from one of the most successful families in the General Stud Book.

Six Perfections was trained by Pascal Bary and was only out of the first three in one of her 14 starts. She won the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at two and was rated the champion European filly and won a Cartier Award. She went on to win the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at three and was runner-up in both the England and Irish 1000 Guineas.

Six Perfections is out of the unraced Yogya (Riverman), a half-sister to the brilliant Miesque (Nureyev). That champion bred Kingmambo (Mr Prospector) and Group 1 winners in the immediate family include dual classic winner East Of The Moon (Private Account), this year’s outstanding three-year-old filly Alpha Centauri (Mastercraftsman), classic and Breeders’ Cup winner Karakontie (Bernstein), champion juvenile filly Rumplestiltskin (Danehill), Japanese star Real Steel (Deep Impact), Yorkshire Oaks winner Tapestry (Galileo), this year’s French Derby winner Study Of Man (Deep Impact) and French classic winner Lucayan (Turtle Bowl).

Breeders, stallion masters and readers are invited to contact Leo Powell at leopowell@theirishfield.ie with news and updates for the column, and to visit our website www.theirishfield.ie for daily breeding news