FASTNET ROCK Sire of Gr1 WINX Winner VIA SISTINA

28 Aug 24

Yulong Stud paid 2.7 million guineas for top class now three-time Group 1 winning mare Via Sistina (IRE) at the Tattersalls Mares Sale at Newmarket and she has proven to be worth the money as the attractive daughter of Champion Sire FASTNET ROCK rattled home to steal victory in the Group 1 ATC Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday 24 August, breaking the hearts of her stablemates Zougotcha and Fangirl.

First-up from a spell in the $1million W-F-A event, just half a length separated the first three at the finish with Kerrin McEvoy on Via Sistina steering a superb ground saving run up the inside.

Seldom has a European import, particularly a mare, acclimatised to Australian conditions so swiftly, and so formidably. Expectation is now she has had chance to properly acclimatise, she will be better as she gets out over ground during the spring.

Via Sistina had two starts for the stable in the autumn winning the Group 1 ATC Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and finishing second to the Ciaron Maher trained Pride of Jenni in the Group 1 ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

Sent out an easing $11 chance, Via Sistina settled 11th of the 12 horse field whilst Tropical Squall (Prized Icon) and Zougotcha (Zoustar) set the pace.

Also resuming, Zougotcha had support at around $6.50, and her backers will have been cheering when Tommy Berry shot to the lead at the 300 metres. McDonald swept wide on Fangirl ($2.40 favourite) as punters braced for her trademark finish.

Instead, it was Via Sistina, pushing up quietly on the fence by McEvoy to seventh at the 600m, who swooped. More impressively still, it came on the inside, with the mare powering home to pip Zougotcha by 0.07 lengths.

Fangirl was third, beaten 0.49 lengths, while Ciaron Maher’s duo of Semana (fourth) and Detonator Jack (fifth) completed the weigh-in.

This was her third Group 1 win after the Gr.1 Pretty Polly in England, and last season’s Gr.1 Ranvet.

It was a beautiful ride from Kerrin McEvoy. He didn't go around a horse, saved ground and had plenty of horse under saddle and was strong all the way to the line.

It was the first ride on Via Sistina for Kerrin McEvoy and he was impressed.

"She's in really good form. The unknown was 1400m in this grade, and first up,” McEvoy said.

"I just wanted to let her tell me where she wanted to be. She jumped in the air a little bit and got sort of back and ended up on the rail, inside Fangirl and I just thought, I'll cut the corner. I thought I'd just make it a little bit easier, rather than James [McDonald] who got shuffled back a little and had to come wide."

"When I got to the corner, I sort of saved a bit of ground and then went to the inside, but I was happy to do that because I think it's drying out all day.

"She really motored the last furlong, so fantastic effort to see her do that first up at that level, and the world is her oyster this prep now."

Now she is a well fancied second favourite for the Cox Plate to Ciaron Maher’s Pride of Jenni.

Via Sistina is a feel-good story as a horse who was originally an ugly duckling that grew into a swan.

Her original owners Stephen and Becky Hillen purchased her as a yearling for just 5,000 guineas ($11,000 AUD) at the Tattersalls December Sale. So, they were over the moon when she sold at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale fetching 2.7million guineas ($5,510,000 AUD), the second highest priced mare at the sale.

Via Sistina has a career record of seven wins and six placings from 16 starts and is the best of four winners from Nigh, an unraced half-sister by Galileo to dual Group 1 winning sprinter - Kingsgate Native.

A winner of two of her three Australian starts (each in Group 1 company), Via Sistina took her career earnings over $3.3 million.

Via Sistina will now be heading to the Gr.1 Makybe Diva S. before the Gr.1 W.S. Cox Plate.

Her Champion Sire FASTNET ROCK is enjoying a well-earned retirement at Coolmore Stud.

Conceived during the sixth (6th) shuttle season of one of the Australian Champion Sire’s eleven (11) seasons in the Northern Hemisphere, she is one of FASTNET ROCK’s 193 stakes winners which includes 43 Group 1 winners.

The former shuttler Fastnet Rock (Danehill), the great Coolmore stallion who is now enjoying retirement, aged 23.

There are only a handful of young horses remaining to represent FASTNET ROCK into the future.

Fastnet Rock has crossed well with Galileo mares producing Group 1 winners: Age Of Fire, Intricately, Magicool, Personal, Pizza Bianca, Qualify, Rivet Delight, Unforgotten, Zhukova and Via Sistina.

As a Sire FASTNET ROCK was retired in 2023 after becoming infertile due to advanced age.

FASTNET ROCK - Champion Australian Sire & Champion Broodmare Sire

Standing at a Service Fee of $165,000 for his final two crops, he has just a small crop of 20 live now turned 2yo’s in Australia (11 colts / 9 fillies) and his final crop yearlings have just 10 live foals (5 colts / 5 fillies) in Australia.

As the Sire with 193 Stakes Winners closes in on hitting 200 Stakes Winners which includes 43 Gr1 winners, opportunities are now very limited to be involved with a youngster by super sire - FASTNET ROCK.

Our Racing industry is a results driven business, and every aspect is dependent upon statistical data.

Understanding data and using it to your advantage is the foundation of success.

FASTNET ROCK is the epitome of a Champion Sire. The results below prove the point:

The multiple Champion Sire current statistics:

Starters	Winners	Wins	Placings	SW	GW	SP	Earnings
2189	1553	4450	7666	193	122	153	A$263 million
per starters	71.0%	2.0	3.5	8.8%	5.6%	7.0%	$95,448

15.8% Stakes Horses: Runners

43 Gr1 Winners

Winners:Runners

COLTS	= 74.5%	849 / 1140	Stakes Horses	173	Stakes Winners	107	Stakes Wins	208
FILLIES	= 67.1%	704 / 1049	Stakes Horses	173	Stakes Winners	86	Stakes Wins	201

Dynamic Syndications purchased a sensational colt by FASTNET ROCK from TANTALUS (NZ) (by Savabeel) at the 2024 Magic Millions.

He is now as rare as hen’s teeth as explained in the data above, as he is one of just the 11 colts from the 2022 foal crop conceived off a Service Fee of $165,000.

Importantly this is a sensational genetic cross for FASTNET ROCK.

There have been 14 Runners bred this way, for 12 winners (85.7%) and 34 Race Wins including 5 Stakes Horses (35.7%).

COLTS on this Cross are: 9 Runners, for 8 Winners (88.9%), 27 Race Wins including 1 Stakes Winner (11.1%) and 2 Stakes Placed (22.2%).

This is 33.3% Stakes Horses to Runners.

Savabeel is a son of ZABEEL who has worked brilliantly as a Broodmare Sire and Broodmare Grandsire.

This cross has produced 69 Runners, 49 Winners, 157 Wins, 8 Stakes Winners and 8 Stakes Placed including 3 Gr1 Winners.

Therefore, our COLT by the Champion Sire is produced on a wonderfully successful cross.

AND ….., they are not making anymore progeny by the champion sire.

We have given such a special colt to Australia's Number 1 Stable for Winners - CIARON MAHER Racing.

OUR COLT by FASTNET ROCK x TANTALUS

Details can be located on our website.