Teofilo favoured for European first-season title

Darley sire Teofilo has been installed a $5 favourite to win the European first-season winners’ premiership for 2011.

Teofilo (Galileo – Speirbhean by Danehill) was unbeaten in six starts at two for trainer Jim Bolger.  He opened up at the Curragh in July 2006 and raced through the ranks winning at Listed level at Leopardstown followed by a G2 and G1 at the Curragh.

He finished the season with a G1 victory in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket defeating Coolmore colt Holy Roman Emperor.

Teofilo has covered over 200 mares in the last two seasons shuttling to Darley Kelvinside at a $22,000 fee.

Chatswood Stud shuttler Amadeus Wolf is on the next line of betting at $6 while Coolmore stallions Dylan Thomas ($7), Excellent Art ($7) and Dutch Art ($8) are others under double figures.

The French juvenile season starts with the Prix de la Marche (900m) at Saint-Cloud on March 15.  The traditional turf opener in England is the Brocklesbury Stakes at Doncaster which is scheduled for April 2 this year.  The Brocklesbury was first run in 1858.

Kildangan – Haunui shuttler Iffraaj set the European freshman record with 38 individual winners in 2010.  Previous winners were Dubawi (34) in 2009, Kheleyf (30) in 2008, Captain Rio (32) in 2007 and Invincible Spirit (35) in 2006.