Dangerous David Doel: Don't miss him on Saturday.
He rides the fastest horse in the field who has previously made the time at Kentucky. After a strong start, David and Galileo Nieuwmoed head into cross-country day with a huge chance.
David Doel & Galileo Nieuwmoed arrive at the Kentucky Horse Park this week as one of the best cross-country combinations in the field. They sit atop the speed rankings with a Top Speed Percentage (TSP) of 97%, meaning they have outpaced 97% of their opponents across their three fastest runs.
Speed at five-star level is not just an aesthetic quality. At a venue where only 9% of starters have made the cross-country time over the last ten editions, it is one of the most decisive factors in the competition. And Galileo Nieuwmoed has already proven he can do it here. In 2023, he and David Doel made the time at Kentucky and finished on their dressage score of 35.6 to place eighth. There are five other horses in this year's field who have made the time at the venue before, but only Galileo Nieuwmoed has managed to finish on his dressage score.
Their broader five-star record is remarkable. In twelve five-star starts together, they have made the cross-country time seven times placing them fourth on the all-time list since 2008, behind Classic Moet, La Biosthetique Sam FBW, and Armada. A clear round inside the time on Saturday would take them to eight, moving them into outright second on that list.
Seven of their twelve five-star appearances have produced top-ten finishes. The only real setbacks came in 2025, with eliminations at both Badminton and Burghley. That sparked some doubt among fans about whether their form had slipped, but David Doel's confidence never wavered. He redirected to Pau in the autumn, where they delivered a clear round inside the time to finish ninth.
After dressage
A score of 30.8 on the opening day was a strong start. It was not a personal best — their five-star PB sits at 29.6, posted at Burghley last year — but it beat their six-run average of 33.3 by 2.5 marks, making it their fourth-best five-star dressage test to date. The EquiRatings Prediction Centre responded accordingly: their win chance increased by 5% and their top-three chance by 10% on the strength of that performance. They head into cross-country day well placed to do what they do best.
Only 9% of horses have made the time at Kentucky over the past decade, and just 3% have finished on their dressage score. Galileo Nieuwmoed has already achieved both. Whatever noise surrounds their 2025 form, this combination looks well set to climb the leaderboard on Saturday.