Racehorse Urban Sea, dam of Derby-winner Galileo, dies aged 20

Racehorse Urban Sea, winner of the 1993 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and dam of Derby-winner Galileo, has died.

The 20-year-old mare died following complications during foaling on Monday (2 March) at the Irish National Stud. The healthy, 130lb colt, by Invincible Spirit, is now with a nurse mare.

Urban Sea was sired by Grade 1 winner Miswaki, son of leading US sire Mr Prospector.

She was bred by Paul de Moussac and out of Allegretta and won 8 races in France, racking up more than £1.3m in prize money.

Trained by Jean Lesbordes and owned by Davis Tsui her greatest success came in the 1993 Arc but she also won the Prix Gontaut-Biron, Prix Exbury and Prix d’Harcourt.

After retiring to stud in 1995 her first foal was Urban Ocean (by Prix du Jockey Club winner Bering). Urban Sea was dam to 11 offspring —with her most famous being Derby winner Galileo.

Sired by Sadlers Wells, Galileo won both the Espom and Irish Derby in 2001. He went on to sire ten Group 1 winners New Approach, Soldier of Fortune, Lush Lashes and Teofilo.

She also foaled My Typhoon — who became the most expensive filly ever sold at auction at the Tattersalls December Sale in 2002 for 1,800,000gns.

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