A look into the career of Fastnet Rock, who died on Monday.
Coolmore is mourning the loss of one of its greatest stallions following the death of Fastnet Rock on Monday.
The son of Danehill suffered an injury over the weekend, which deteriorated rapidly, leaving the Magnier family operation with no alternative but to euthanise the 24-year-old.
"Sadly, earlier today our much-loved champion sire Fastnet Rock was humanely euthanized at Coolmore, his place of birth and home for the past 20 years," Coolmore Australia principal Tom Magnier said in a statement.
"In that time, Fastnet Rock forged a legacy that will see him recognised as one of the greatest stallions Australia has ever produced.
"This is such a sad day for everyone who has worked at Coolmore and played a part in Fastnet's life. Our thoughts today are with all the staff who cared for him over the past 24 years."
Fastnet Rock was part of a stellar generation of horses that included Alinghi, Dance Hero and Charge Forward and while he failed to win as a two-year-old, he placed in four of seven starts – including the Group 1 ATC Sires' – and finished fourth in the Group 1 Golden Slipper.
His standout racetrack performances came in the autumn of his three-year-old season when he won the Lightning Stakes and Oakleigh Plate at Group 1 level and was runner-up in both the Newmarket Handicap and T J Smith Stakes.
But his greatest legacy was left in the breeding barn, not only in Australia but also in Ireland, where he shuttled for 11 seasons, from 2010 to 2021.
It was there that he produced his greatest product, Via Sistina, a 10-time Group 1 winner who was Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year last season.
She is one of 1671 individual winners, 197 of whom have won in Stakes grade, including 44 Group 1 winners – a world record for any Australian-bred horse.
He this year won a second-straight Australian Champion Broodmare Sire award, which sits alongside the Australian Champion Stallion titles he won in 2011/12 and 2014/15.
Via Sistina is his most prolific Group 1 winner with 10 and has the chance in this weekend's Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes to join Avantage as his most prolific Stakes winner on 13.
Former Singapore star Grand Cross won more races than any son or daughter of Fastnet Rock with 21.
As with all stallions, the full statistical record of Fastnet Rock's progeny is available via the Racing And Sports profile pages.
Below is a look at his highest-rating progeny from a Timeform perspective.
132 – Via Sistina
128 – Atlantic Jewel
128 – Foxwedge
126 – Fascinating Rock
126 – Merchant Navy
126 – Wanted
124 – Buckaroo
124 – Smart Missile
124 – Mosheen
