Sires by Bloodline – Fastnet Rock

Tara Madgwick - Monday July 3

Coolmore’s champion Aussie bred sire Fastnet Rock might be turning 22 this year, but he posted his 43rd Group I winner in Ireland last weekend with quality mares Via Sistina and Stay Alert running one-two in the Pretty Polly Stakes so there is no better time to take a closer look at his legacy as a sire of sires.

Fastnet Rock has stood the test of time, click for more info.

Fastnet Rock has had a lot of sons go to stud and of those still active El Roca, Merchant Navy, Smart Missile and Foxwedge have all left Group I winners, but the son that could have made a big difference to this sireline was Hinchinbrook.

A half-brother to Snitzel, this Group III winner spent his first five seasons at Yarraman Park standing at a fee of $16,500 before burgeoning success saw his fee climb to $38,500 and then $44,000 before his premature death in July, 2018 at age 10 when his fee had been set at $55,000. Hinchinbrook sired four Group I winners among 22 stakes-winners and still has a number of sons at stud.

The real hope of the sireline now is undoubtedly Acrobat, who has been given a golden opportunity at Coolmore despite his lack of race performance given he started just once for a brilliant win in the Inglis Nursery RL.

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Acrobat, click for more info.

We have to take on trust the fact he could have been a Golden Slipper winner given his full sister Lake Geneva finished third in the race and another full sister Ennis Hill is the dam of this year’s outstanding filly Learning to Fly, who may have won the race if she had not clipped heels and lost her rider.

If you have faith in his ability and pedigree, then Acrobat is unbeatable value and with 188 mares covered in his first book last spring, a lot of breeders were happy to take the gamble.

Foxwedge, click for more info.

The sire of five Group I winners, Foxwedge was relocated from the Hunter Valley to Woodside Park in Victoria in 2019 and his current star performer this season is Group winning mare Foxy Frida, a winner of over $550,000 in prizemoney.

SIRE

Stud

Best Race Performance

Mares Covered 2021

Mares Covered 2022

2023 Fee

Fastnet Rock 2001

Coolmore, NSW

G1

77

49

$110,000

SIRE SONS

El Roca 2010

Westbury Stud, NZ

L

99

86

NZ$15,000

Acrobat 2018

Coolmore, NSW

L

188

$13,750

Merchant Navy 2014

Kooringal Stud, NSW

G1

127

15

$13,200

Smart Missile 2008

Twin Hills Stud, NSW

G2

38

33

$13,200

Foxwedge 2008

Woodside Park, Vic

G1

104

74

$11,000

Prince Fawaz 2016

Oaklands Stud, Qld

G1

62

62

$11,000

Awesome Rock 2011

Gold Front Breeding and Racing, WA

G1

50

107

$9,900

Glenfiddich 2017

Aquis, Qld

G2

91

$8,800

Heroic Valour 2013

Raheen Stud, Qld

G1

157

77

$7,700

Your Song 2009

Gooree Stud, NSW

G1

25

21

$5,500

Long Leaf 2015

Rangeview Stud, WA

L

85

50

$5,500

Rothesay 2006

Lyndhurst Stud, Qld

G2

78

31

$4,950

Zululand 2011

Grenville Stud, Tas

G2

27

15

$4,400

Bull Point 2010

Kingstar Farm, NSW

G2

19

15

$3,300

SIRE GRAND SONS

Unite and Conquer 2016 (Hinchinbrook)

Kingstar Farm, NSW

L

57

47

$6,600

Press Statement 2012 (Hinchinbrook)

Novara Park, NZ

(First year in NZ)

G1

44

29

NZ$6,000

Derryn 2013 (Hinchinbrook)

Grangewilliam Stud, NZ

G2

78

77

NZ$5,000

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