The Danehill influence is never far away and Group I results from last weekend got us looking at who are the best of his sire sons in terms of producing sire sons.
When long shot Callsign Mav took out the Group I Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings in New Zealand on Saturday he put another feather in the cap of champion sire Fastnet Rock as a sire of Group I sires.
Callsign Mav is the first Group I winner for Fastnet Rock’s ill-fated New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas winner Atlante, who died after just two seasons at Mapperley Stud.
Atlante is the eighth sire son of Fastnet Rock to produce a Group I winner joining a list that features Hinchinbrook (4), Foxwedge (3) and the following horses with one Group I winner each - Smart Missile, Rothesay, Wanted, El Roca and Stryker.
Current hopes for the Fastnet Rock sire dynasty rest with his best performed colt to retire to stud in Royal Ascot hero Merchant Navy.
Standing at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $44,000, the dual Group I winner will have his first yearlings selling in 2021.
While looking at Fastnet Rock as a sire of sires, it’s also well worth reflecting on Redoute’s Choice, who has been the most successful sire son of Danehill anywhere in the world.
The late Arrowfield Stud champion has 12 sire sons that have left Group I winners headed by Snitzel and Not a Single Doubt with 14 each, then Stratum with seven and Fast ‘n’ Famous with three, then Beneteau with two and the following sires with one each – Nadeem, Bradbury’s Luck, Lucky Unicorn, Elzaam, Master of Design, Time Thief and Duelled.
While Snitzel is the first of the Reodute’s Choice sire sons to have multiple sire sons of his own, Not a Single Doubt may also make his mark in that area with Extreme Choice having two year-olds to run for him this season and he has high class colts Farnan, Anders and Doubtland waiting in the wings to embark on stud careers.
Danehill Dancer (IRE), who shuttled to Australia and first found success in our region has also been very successful as a sire of sires.
He has had seven sires sons produce Group I winners headed by Mastercraftsman (14), Choisir (11), Lizard Island (3), Silent Times (3), Fast Company (2), Monsieur Bond (2) and Air Chief Marshal (1).
Choisir has carried that forward with two Group I producing sire sons in Starspangledbanner and Olympic Glory with his Caulfield Guineas winning son Divine Prophet set to have his first runners this season for Aquis.
Champion sire Exceed and Excel has had less success as a sire of Group I sires with just three sons siring one Group I winner apiece in Helmet, Excelebration and Sidestep.
His fortunes may be improved by the retirement of his Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Exceedance to Vinery Stud this spring at a fee of $38,500.
Behemoth, who won the Group I MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes represents another branch of the Danehill sireline being by All Too Hard, whose sire Casino Prince is by his champion son Flying Spur.
A Golden Slipper winner and a champion sire in his own right, Flying Spur has had only two Group I sire sons in Casino Prince and Magnus.
