Sprinting Stars – Fastnet Rock
If there are two things we learnt during the Turf Heroes series, they are that (1) a surprising number of people seem to like reading about champion thoroughbreds; and (2) Cliff can’t shut up about such horses. With that in mind, Making The Nut is pleased to bring you a ten-part ‘Sprinting Stars’ series, where Cliff Bingham will look back upon the short course specialists who scorched turf at the highest level. Part six of the series recalls the fleeting but impressive career of one of Paul Perry’s best ever gallopers, Fastnet Rock.
Previous instalments of the Sprinting Stars series:
Part 1: Schillaci
Part 2: Mahogany
Part 3: General Nediym
Part 4: Falvelon
Part 5: Spinning Hill
The career
An impeccably bred Danehill colt with high expectations placed upon him, Fastnet Rock made his racetrack debut on January 24, 2004. His first campaign would be one of solid performances without ever verging into the spectacular.
After running fifth to Wager in a two year-old handicap event at Rosehill, he finished second to the same filly a fortnight later and then ran fourth behind Ballybleue in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes, all over 1100 metres. Stepping up to 1200 metres for his next three runs, he recorded a second to the eventual ‘two year-old triple crown’ winner Dance Hero in the Group 3 Skyline Stakes at Canterbury, a second to Absolute Champion in the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes and a fourth behind Dance Hero in the Group 1 Golden Slipper. His last run of the preparation was also his first over the 1400-metre journey, finishing third to Dance Hero in the Group 1 AJC Sires Produce Stakes.
Whilst he had picked up plenty of prizemoney for connections by finishing well in the money in five consecutive Group races, a return of zero wins from seven starts was not in keeping with his pedigree, not to mention many predictions made about his prospects as a racehorse. Nonetheless, he was still maturing and his three year-old campaigns would bear substantially more fruit.
He resumed in August 2004 with a second placing (in a photo finish) to Charge Forward in the Group 2 San Domenico Stakes at Randwick before a pair of wins in small fields at Warwick Farm – the Group 3 (now Group 2) Up and Coming Stakes and the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes. From here the Fastnet Rock train headed south to Melbourne for the Spring Carnival.
The southern raid began with a second to Tirade (subsequently renamed Nittan’s Winner) in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude over 1400 metres before a third to Classiconi in the Listed Concept Stakes at Flemington at the same trip. Despite two defeats in easier races he was still amongst the fancies for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas, but the 1600 metres and a terrible draw (barrier 16) proved too much to overcome as he finished eighth, almost seven lengths off the winner Econsul.
It was after this race that Paul Perry decided to switch tack with his talented but slightly enigmatic galloper. Much as Guy Walter had done with another ‘Sprinting Star’ in Spinning Hill, Perry switched back to the shorter races with great effect.
At Flemington on VRC Derby Day he lined up in the Group 3 L’Oreal Paris Plate and despite breaking through the gates before the race began, had plenty in reserve as he cruised to victory. Five days later he would return to take on the older horses at WFA level in the Group 2 Lexus Classic (formerly Linlithgow Stakes) and once again collect the spoils. The shorter trips agreed with the ever-maturing colt, and the remainder of his racing career would be played out exclusively in sprinting events.
The first week of February 2005 saw him return to the Flemington straight, this time over 1000 metres in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes. Once again his affinity for the straight shone through, as he finished strongly in defeating boom filly Alinghi to record his third win on end and his first at the absolute elite level. From there it was on to Caulfield for the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate where despite still only being a three year-old, he received top weight of 57 kilos against the older horses. The public felt this wouldn’t be a problem as they sent him out as a strong favourite and he didn’t disappoint, snapping up another Group 1 win and confirming his star as being on the rise.
His final run in Melbourne for the campaign saw him return to Flemington for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap to try and follow in the footsteps of Schillaci and claim the Lightning-Oakleigh-Newmarket treble as a three year-old. Alinghi was also there and in a rematch of their duel in the Lightning five weeks prior, the filly got her revenege, with Fastnet Rock (and his 57 kilo impost) running second.
A further crack at Group 1 glory lay in store two weeks later at Randwick in the Group 1 TJ Smith at WFA level. In a small field and on a very wet track, he ran well once again but was unable to match Shamekha, who defeated him by almost half a length.
With four runs at Group 1 level in 2005 netting two wins and two seconds, Paul Perry sent Fastnet Rock to the UK to follow in the footsteps his stablemate Choisir had left in 2003. He was to be aimed at the Group 1 Jubilee Stakes and July Cup. However travel sickness got the better of him and he was unable to compete in the UK – given his form at the time and the success (before and subsequent) of Australian sprinters in these races, it is quite possible that a further one or two race wins went begging as a consequence.
Unfortunately for racegoers, his lineage and success as a Group 1 sprinter saw him whisked away to the breeding barn thereafter, and thus we never got to see him run as a four year-old. Given how much he had improved as his three year-old campaigns had played out and the horse himself had matured, we may have seen him progress even further with another campaign or two – alas, it was not to be.
The memories
Untapped – that is how I’ll always remember the racetrack element of Fastnet Rock’s career.
Not being an avid follower of two year-olds at the best of times (and certainly not two year-olds who aren’t winning regularly), he didn’t truly appear on my radar screen until that first win at Flemington on Derby Day and thus my memories of him primarily revolve around the final six races of his career. And what a final six to remember him by!
To gain some sense of what he achieved in his final campaign as an autumn three year-old, let’s compare his results to others from the ‘Sprinting Stars’ series:
Schillaci: Won the Lightning (carrying 54 kilos), won the Oakleigh (54.5), won the Newmarket (55.5), second in the Canterbury Stakes (54.5), won the Galaxy (57).
General Nediym: Won the Lightning (54 kilos), 14th in the Oakleigh (58), won the Newmarket (55), won the BTC Cup (55), third in the Doomben 10,000 (55).
Falvelon: Second in the Lightning (54.5 kilos), second in the Oakleigh (54), third in the Newmarket (54.5), won the BTC Cup (56), third in the Doomben 10,000 (56), fifth in the Stradbroke (53.5).
Fastnet Rock: Won the Lightning (54.5 kilos), won the Oakleigh (57), second in the Newmarket (57), second in the TJ Smith (55).
Throw in his Linlithgow Stakes win in November 2004 (his third win in a ‘criteria’ race for the purposes of selecting this group of ten sprinters) and you’ve got a career which both took a while to really develop and was cut short by other priorities away from the track, but whose apex was comparable with the elite sprinters of the modern era.
The stats
Overall record: 19 starts, six wins (2 x Group 1s, 3 x Group 2s, 1 x Group 3), seven seconds, seven thirds, $1,724,100 prize money
2YO summer/ autumn (2004): Seven starts, three seconds, one third
3YO spring (2004): Eight starts, four wins (2 x G2, 2 x G3), two seconds, one third
3YO summer/ autumn (2004-05): Four starts, two wins (2 x G1), two seconds
Turf Heroes series
Just in case you missed them the first time around, links to each of our Turf Heroes series are below:
(1) Super Impose, (2) Better Loosen Up, (3) Let’s Elope,(4) Octagonal, (5) Saintly, (6) Might and Power, (7) Sunline, (8) Northerly, (9) Lonhro, (10) Makybe Diva
