When a stallion has race performance, impressive physique and the right pedigree top and bottom he’s going to appeal to a lot of broodmare owners working to a budget.
The overwhelming success of sire sons of Fastnet Rock is impossible to ignore and we need look no further than last weekend’s Group I MRC Sir Rupert Clark to see another great example.
The winner was Callsign Mav, now a four time Group I winner, sired by Fastnet Rock’s ill-fated Group I winning son Atlante, who produced just two crops before his premature passing.
Also back with a bang this spring has been injury hampered sprinter Rothfire, who was seen at his blazing best when winning the Group II MVRC McEwen Stakes after finishing last season with a game third in the Group I BRC Stradbroke Handicap. He looks to add another Group I to his tally in the MVRC AJ Moir Stakes on Friday night.
A Group I winner at two, Rothfire is the headline act for his Fastnet Rock sire son Rothesay, who is one of seven sire sons of Fastnet Rock to produce Group I winners.
Aquis have moved to acquire a stake in this well proven sireline adding Glenfiddich to their stallion roster this year.
“Fastnet Rock is unquestionably a superior sire of sires with his Group I producing sons Atlante, Foxwedge, Smart Missile, Rothesay, Hichinbrook, El Roca and Wanted having blazed a trail and laid the foundations for Glenfiddich to succeed at stud,” said Aquis Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies.
Precocious enough to start in the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate finishing fifth on debut as a spring juvenile, Glenfiddich finished his two year-old season with a close second to King’s Legacy in the Group I ATC Champagne Stakes.
First up at three, Glenfiddich ran third behind 3-time Group I winner, Behemoth, and Derby winner, Mr Quickie, in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at WFA before scoring a cavalier win in the Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes.
Glenfiddich raced only once after that and was retired due to injury, leaving the impression we never really saw the best of him.
Glenfiddich was bred by (and part-owned by) Ian Smith’s Edinburgh Park Stud and comes from a female family Smith has nurtured over many years with great success.
“We always had a lot of confidence in Glenfiddich and it’s not hard to work out why; he’s such a lovely type of horse, with a great temperament and that family has worked so well for us,” Smith said.
“There’s something like 10 stakes horses alone in the second dam, while others on the page represent some of the best racehorses we’ve seen on Australian tracks over the last decade or so.
“Edinburgh Park was very happy to retain a share in Glenfiddich after the yearling sale and we’re ecstatic that he’s heading to Aquis Farm where he will get every opportunity to succeed. The owners and I will be supporting him with some nice mares.”
So many female members of this family are being bred to the best stallions adding fuel to what has become a flaming hot commercial pedigree delivering success on the track and in the sale ring.
Glenfiddich stands at a fee of $8,800.
