breednet.com.au

Fastnet Rock Stayer Might Be Headed Back for Second Melbourne Cup

Tara Madgwick - Sunday September 1

Seventh in the Melbourne Cup last year, the Willie Mullins trained French bred Fastnet Rock stayer Absurde may have booked his ticket back to Australia for a second tilt at the Melbourne Cup following a strong win in the Listed Chester Stakes (1m6 ½ f) overnight.

The six year-old Fastnet Rock gelding won at the Cheltenham Jumping Festival earlier this year and was a last start fourth in the Group III Irish St Leger Trial.

Ridden by Daniel Tudhope, he surged clear to win by a length and a quarter taking his overall record to six wins and eight placings from 21 starts with this victory his first in a Black Type race.

Advertisement

Absurde and his faithful strapper Emilie Seigle were media favourites in Melbourne last year and she was by his side for this victory as well.

Bred by Wertheimer Et Frere, Absured was initially raced in France by the Wertheimers before he was offered in the Arqana Deauville Summer Mixed Sale in 2022 where he was bought by PB Bloodstock/ H Kirk / Willie Mullins for €260,000.

He is the best of five winners from stakes-placed Singspiel mare Incroyable from the family of Group I winner Juvenia.

The 194th stakes-winner for Fastnet Rock, Absurde might not be the best of his offspring to ever race, but he’s probably the one that has won over the longest trip with his wins running out to 4000m!

Advertisment
More Reading...
New G2 Winner for St Marks Basilica
Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) has had a flurry of promising winners in recent weeks and among then is talented filly Aylin, who claimed her first Black Type win overnight when taking out the Group II May Hill Stakes (1m) at Doncaster.
Sires With Winners - Thursday September 11
Here is the full list of 43 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Te Akau Fillies Resume Rivalry
There’s a burgeoning rivalry brewing between Te Akau Racing fillies Belle Du Monde and Cool Aza Rene, and that will continue at Riccarton Park on Saturday in the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m).
Fastnet Rock's Absurde Keep Frankie's Melbourne Cup Dream Alive
Absurde is likely to line up in the Melbourne Cup alongside stablemate and ruling favourite Vauban after the son of Fastnet Rock earned a golden ticket with his win in the £500,000 Ebor Hcp at York, to the delight of fans of Frankie Dettori.
Lovatsville and ATA Strengthen Ties
Fledgling Victorian stallion farm Lovatsville have continued their strategic partnership with the Australian Trainer’s Association (ATA) in an initiative that is designed to support trainers through a series of stallion nominations aligned to upcoming races in regional Victoria this Spring.
Melbourne Cup Runner Wins at Cheltenham
Seventh in the Melbourne Cup last year, the Willie Mullins trained French bred hurdler Absurde was back in the winning groove at the big Cheltenham jumping festival overnight scoring a brilliant win in the County Handicap Hurdle (2m1f).
My How Time Flies!
At the recent stallion parades in Victoria one of the sires that really jumped out on type was Lovatsville based Fierce Impact (Jpn), a triple Group I winner in Australia that was seen at his very best winning the Group I VRC Makybe Diva Stakes in 2020.
Keeneland Day 3 - Book 2 - 'So Hot it Set the Fire Alarms Off!'
On Wednesday’s third session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, 13 horses sold for $1 million or more – led by a $1.9 million Gun Runner colt – to increase the total number of yearlings who have brought $1 million or more at the 2025 auction to a record 48. The number of seven-figure horses today broke the previous third-session record of eight from 2019, and the total top
One to Watch – Seymour
A lookalike for his sire Star Turn, this Ciaron Maher trained colt made a winning debut at Seymour on Thursday as a hot favourite.
Caulfield Guineas and Thousand Guineas Nominations
Bluebloods, boom youngsters and fairytales are among G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 Thousand Guineas nominations with 119 colts and geldings, plus 106 fillies vying for victory in these iconic spring three year-old features.