The last 12 months would suggest there is a compelling case for FASTNET ROCK to eventually challenge ZABEEL for the title of Australia’s greatest ever broodmare sire.
Officially retired from stud duties last week, FASTNET ROCK has had an incredible run of results with his daughters, producing 8 individual Group 1 winners in the past year alone, including:
LADY OF CAMELOT (Golden Slipper)
ZOUGOTCHA (Coolmore & Queen Of The Turf)
VEIGHT (George Ryder)
JOLIESTAR (Thousand Guineas)
CLIMBING STAR (Robert Sangster)
PALAISIPAN (Tatts Tiara)
While his Group 1 placegetters include:
STORM BOY (Golden Slipper)
LEARNING TO FLY (Robert Sangster)
SUNSETS (VRC Derby)
YOUNG WERTHER (Mackinnon)
HYPOTHETICAL (Oakleigh Plate)
With 112 stakes races still to be run and won in Australia this season, FASTNET ROCK already has won 30 of them, eclipsing ZABEEL’s best haul of 27.
Throw in 55 stakes placings for good measure, and it is clear that no other broodmare sire, not even ZABEEL, has had a season like it (and one that is far from over!).
However, ZABEEL’s overall record with broodmares is imperious – 439 stakes winners tells you that – but as his numbers begin to wane, FASTNET ROCK’s daughters are really starting to hit their straps.
What might ultimately set these two breed-shaping stallions apart is their paternity.
Being a son of SIR TRISTRAM and completely free of DANEHILL blood, ZABEEL had the luxury of being a perfect outcross for the DANEHILL-dominated gene pool in Australia.
Conversely, FASTNET ROCK is a son of DANEHILL which undoubtedly restricted the number of commercially bred sires his mares had access to.
Breeders are now so swayed by FASTNET ROCK’s influence that many of his mares are being mated with more distant descendants of DANEHILL to finesse the double DANEHILL coefficient.
It just so happens that Proven Thoroughbreds purchased three yearlings out of FASTNET ROCK mares in 2024. One is already sold out, but ownership opportunities remain in two Magic Millions graduates bound for the O’Dea-Hoysted stable.
The FARNAN x LECTURE colt was bred by Canning Downs Stud (same as last Saturday’s Oaks winner VIBRANT SUN) while industry leaders China Horse Club have retained a share in the FLYING ARTIE x ORDOS HONOR colt they bred.
What do these two colts have in common with some of the best performers out of FASTNET ROCK mares? See for yourself…
FARNAN x LECTURE colt
Grand dam by ENCOSTA DE LAGO (same as PALAISIPAN)
By a NORTHERN DANCER line sire from a MACHIVELLIAN broodmare sire line (same as SANTA ANA LANE & GYTRASH)
4m x 3m DANEHILL (same as US G1 winner RHEA MOON)
FLYING ARTIE x ORDOS HONOR colt
Grand dam by SNIPPETS (same as JOLIESTAR)
By a SADLER’S WELLS line sire (same as PALAISIPAN, TIVACI, OMEI SWORD, RUSSIAN EMPEROR, WARM HEART)
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