Fastnet Rock, Champion Sire in Australia in 2011-2012 and 2014-2015, has established himself as a truly top-class broodmare sire.
The son of Danehill is currently Australia’s Leading Broodmare Sire for 2023-2024, with Fastnet Rock daughters having produced no fewer than 18 black type winners in Australia alone this season.
At the time of writing, progeny of Fastnet Rock mares had claimed an impressive 29 black type races in Australia this season, and had already amassed more than AUS $30 000 000 in stakes “Down Under”.
Fastnet Rock
Among the top performers racing this season who were produced by Fastnet Rock mares as G1 TAB Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), Gr1 Coolmore Classic/Gr1 Grainshaker Vodka Queen Of The Turf Stakes heroine Zougotcha (Zoustar), Gr1 Schweppes 1000 Guineas heroine Joliestar (Zoustar) and Gr1 The Agency George Ryder Stakes victor Veight (Grunt).
Fastnet Rock daughter Miss Debutante is not only dam of 2024 Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot but she has also produced the group winning fillies Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar) and Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible).
Fastnet Rock mares have also made their presence felt in South Africa.
The much missed New Predator (New Approach), winner of both the Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes and Gr2 Charity Mile in 2016, made a considerable impact with his first crop.
This crop, now three, is headed by Purple Pitcher and Pure Predator, the first two home in the recent G1 TAB SA Derby. Purple Pitcher having won the Gr2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans and Gr1 TAB SA Classic prior to his Derby triumph.
New Predator was produced by the Fastnet Rock mare Head Over Heels, a winning half-sister to multiple stakes winner Presently (Unbridled’s Song).
Another daughter of Fastnet Rock is Little Fastnet, whose daughter Little Ballerina (Vercingetorix) won this season’s Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery.
Fastnet Rock is also the sire of Carraig Anoair, whose five South African winners include 2019 World Sports Betting Grand Heritage winner Riverstown (Byword) as well as Saturday’s winner Green Isle (Gimmethegreenlight).
Green Isle – a daughter of Carraig Anoair, (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Fastnet Rock shares his legendary sire Danehill with fellow top-class broodmare sires Dansili, Redoute’s Choice, Flying Spur, and Danehill Dancer among others.
Remarkably, Dansili, Redoute’s Choice and Danehill Dancer all made their presence felt, as broodmare sires at the recently held National Yearling Sale.
The Redoute’s Choice sired Gr2 Camellia Stakes winner Honorine is the dam of 2024 National Sale topper Man Of His Word (Gimmethegreenlight), who was knocked down for R6 000 000 last week.
Already the dam of both Protea Prince and Japanese Rose, the well related Honorine, a three-parts sister to the Redoute’s Choice sired Gr1 performer Military Expert, hails from a remarkable family responsible not only for the ill-fated Cheltenham star Best Mate (Un Desperado) but also the likes of French classic winners Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) and Darjina (Zamindar) among others.
Dansili’s Gr2 Betting World 1900/Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge winning daughter Espumanti, already dam of the July winning Equus Champion Sparkling Water (Silvano), made headlines at the National Sale when her Hawwaam colt Sparkling Rose was knocked down to the Hollywood Syndicate at the National Sale, while the Danehill Dancer mare Miss Khaya had a colt by The United States fetch R425 000 at the auction.
