BOLSHOI BALLET | Aidan O’Brien’s colt lands a timely Group 1 success in the States

Halfway through the third day of the Newmarket July Festival, the news of the incredible Galileo passing away was beginning to filter through the racing world.

Thousands of tributes went out to the 12-time Champion Sire and former Derby winner, with the racing community paying their respects to a legend that created a legacy both on and off the track.

As many beloved supporters of the sport will know, horse racing can be a cruel sport at the best of times.

But the racing gods allowed a moment of magic to give the 23-year-old star a proper send-off – in the form of Derby runner Bolshoi Ballet.

The three-year-old colt had been sent across the Atlantic Ocean to run in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park.

The son of Galileo raced keenly at the start of the 1m2f contest and was held up at the rear of the pack.

After slowly making his way through the field, Ryan Moore pushed him on with three furlongs remaining.

Aidan O’Brien recruit responded gamely and battled his way into contention in the final two furlongs.

He kept finding more and calmly dealt with the pressure from his rivals, as he began to pull away from the field in the final furlong.

The colt stayed on strongly to record victory by length and a quarter to record a first Group 1 success.

Bolshoi Ballet became the 92nd top-flight winner to be sired by Galileo, giving his late father a very fitting and timely tribute in New York on Saturday evening.