$2.4 Million Colt for Fastnet Rock

Reigning champion sire Fastnet Rock was in hot form during the first session of the 2013 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, his colt from Gold Anthem selling for $2.4 million on Tuesday.

Bred by Makybe and consigned on their behalf by Tyreel Stud, the half-brother to world champion sprinter Starspangledbanner was secured by English bloodstock agent John Warren for a partnership involving Coolmore and the China Horse Club.

"He’s an exceptional individual by one of the upcoming great sires in Australia,” Warren told TVN.

"He ticked all the boxes. I thought he was a magnificent colt.”

A powerful bay who set a new benchmark for his sire in becoming his most expensive yearling sold to date, the colt is a half-brother to four winners and comes from the family of multiple Group I winners Elvstroem and Haradasun as well as up and coming star Il Cavallo, a record breaking juvenile winner on debut at Sandown last month.

Gold Anthem has been a regular visitor to the Coolmore sires and produced a colt last year by Choisir that is a full brother to four-time Group I winner Starspangledbanner and is now back in foal to Fastnet Rock.

Fastnet Rock also kicked a big goal with his colt from imported Hennessy mare Dream Play (USA) that sold for $1.5 million to the same buying partnership.

Consigned by Kia Ora Stud, the colt is the first foal of US Group II winner Dream Play, a half-sister to Group I Hollywood Starlet Stakes winner Diplomat Lady.

A gorgeous dark brown colt, he is bred on the exact same cross as Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winner Irish Lights and his dam Dream Play has another colt foal by Fastnet Rock and was covered by him again last spring.

Other big results for Fastnet Rock on Tuesday included his colt from Hips Don’t Lie (NZ) that sold for $900,000 to Mark Kavanagh Racing and his top selling filly from Gambei that made $710,000 when secured by BC3 Thoroughbreds and was the most expensive filly overall on Day One.

Fastnet Rock had 18 yearlings sell at an average $540,566 during the first session and has many more lovely horses still to be offered.