As a son of Djebel, he was a representative of the Byerley Turk sire-line[1] unlike the vast majority of modern thoroughbreds, who descend directly from the Darley Arabian.
On his three-year-old debut he won the 1600m Prix Daphnis at Le Tremblay, after which he was identified as Boussac's main Derby contender, and was then moved up to the highest class for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp on 14 May.
Galcador, ridden by the Australian jockey Rae Johnstone, started at odds of 100/9 (11/1) in a field of twenty-five runners with the American-bred and owned Prince Simon being made favourite.
A colt named Pewter Platter took an early lead but Prince Simon took over after two furlongs and was two lengths clear on the turn into the straight.
[6] In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Galcador an “average” Derby winner.