Fastnet Rock
Fastnet Rock has shown a great affinity with the THONG family, principally via SADLER’S WELLS, his brother FAIRY KING and three-quarter brothers NUREYEV and PERUGINO. These three are present in the dam’s pedigrees of 17 of his 37 Group 1 winners (46%). Overall, 37 of his 95 Group winners (39%) possess this line through their dams, including six mares carrying Zabeel, whose damsire is Nureyev.
Of the Sadler’s Wells line, GALILEO has been his favourite representative, scoring six Group 1 winners. Other representatives such as SCENIC, CARNEGIE, EL PRADO (sons MEDAGLIA D’ORO, ARTIE SCHILLER), HIGH CHAPARRAL, (SO YOU THINK, DUNDEEL etc), and sons of Montjeu including TAVISTOCK, NOM DE JEU, CAMELOT and AUTHORIZED, are desirable damsires for Fastnet Rock.
Nureyev damsire representatives PEINTRE CELEBRE (thrice), STRAVINSKY (twice), POLAR FALCON and PIVOTAL are amongst the damsires of his 95 Group winners, while Fairy King has been represented in Fastnet Rock’s Group winners list by daughters of ENCOSTA DE LAG0 (two) and SHINKO KING.
Fastnet Rock’s damsire Royal Academy is by Nijinsky II. He works very well with close relation STORM CAT. Fastnet Rock has produced seven Group winners on this cross, including Group 1 winners Awesome Rock (dam by GIANT’S CAUSEWAY), Foxwedge (FOREST WILDCAT) and Irish Lights (HENNESSY). Daughters of Storm Cat line sires such as SHAMARDAL, SCAT DADDY, and Tale of the Cat look great underneath Fastnet Rock’s pedigree.
Mr. Prospector line mares were always appealing for Fastnet Rock, with Danehill and sons having produced many Group 1 winners from Mr. Prospector line mares. Fastnet Rock Group 1 winners have come from daughters of FUSAICHI PEGASUS (twice), EL MOXIE, LION CAVERN, HUSSONET and KINGMAMBO. WOODMAN (twice), END SWEEP, BACHELOR DUKE, XAAR, THUNDER GULCH, JADE ROBBERY, SECRET SAVINGS and MIESQUE’S SON daughters have produced Group 2 and 3 winners by Fastnet Rock. STRAIGHT STRIKE, RHYTHM, UMATILLA, GEIGER COUNTER, BELLOTTO, Distorted Humor, INFLATE and VETTORI are other good damsire candidates.
HALO line broodmares should be sought for Fastnet Rock. He is a close relation to Northern Dancer (to which Fastnet Rock is inbred) as well as Danehill. Group 1 winning daughter Atlante is out of a daughter of MORE THAN READY and Group 1 son Your Song is out of a FUJI KISEKI mare. Others to seek from this line include DON’T SAY HALO, JOLIE’S HALO and SUNDAY SILENCE line mares.
The BLUSHING GROOM line is also worth exploiting for Fastnet Rock. It has already produced two Group winners by QUEST FOR FAME and NASSIPOUR and can also be sourced in mares by (or carrying) FANTASTIC LIGHT, NOVERRE, WAR PASS, ARAZI, URGENT REQUEST, REDDING, VISCOUNT and SPECTRUM.
SIR TRISTRAM and his son ZABEEL are other Fastnet Rock favourites. The former is damsire of Group 1 winner Rock ‘n’ Pop and Zabeel has produced three Group 1 winners (Atlantic Jewel, Avantage and Planet Rock) with a further three Group 2 and 3 winners. Sire descendants of Sir Tristram and/or Zabeel to source in mares include PIERRO, LONHRO, SAVABEEL, OCTAGONAL, KAAPSTAD, SOVEREIGN RED, MARAUDING, EL QAHIRA, DON EDUARDO, MILITARY PLUME, GROSVENOR and DR. GRACE.
Mares carrying valuable influence SNIPPETS have also been successful with Fastnet Rock. Group 1 winners Merchant Navy and Wanted, as well as a further four Group 2 and 3 winners, are by Snippets or his son, SNOWLAND.
RED RANSOM and his sons COMIC STRIP and MT LIVERMORE have produced dams of Fastnet Rock’s Group winners. Other damsires from this line include CHARGE FORWARD, SRI PEKAN and ALL AMERICAN.
BITE THE BULLET and TRY MY BEST (sire of LAST TYCOON) also have multiple Group winners by Fastnet Rock. His recent Gr.1-winning 2YO Prince Fawaz has a second dam by LAST TYCOON as does his excellent sprinting son Merchant Navy.