Mastercraftsman is champion

Mastercraftsman was crowned champion British and Irish first-crop sire of 2013 after a brilliant year that saw him head all the major freshman stallion categories.

Not only is Mastercraftsman champion British and Irish sire in terms of prize money, with his runners earning £501,759 according to Racing Post statistics, but he was also champion in terms of numbers of winners and Group winners.

Among his outstanding performers were the G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Kingston Hill (3c Mastercraftsman-Audacieuse, by Rainbow Quest), who was also crowned Champion Two-Year-Old at the Cartier Awards.

Paul Smith’s colt is a leading contender for the G1 2,000 Guineas and Mastercraftsman also has a leading G1 1,000 Guineas prospect in Sir Robert Ogden’s home-bred Amazing Maria (3f Mastercraftsman-Messias Da Silva, by Tale Of The Cat), winner of the G3 Prestige Stakes at Goodwood.

Other smart winners in 2013 included the Aidan O’Brien-trained Craftsman (3c Mastercraftsman-Weekend Fling, by Forest Wildcat), who captured the G3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown, leading Italian juvenile Pablosky (3g Mastercraftsman-Save The Table, by Tale Of The Cat) and The Grey Gatsby (3c Mastercraftsman-Marie Vison, by Entrepreneur), who finished runner-up in the G2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.