Fastnet Rock is arguably one of the most important horse in Australian thoroughbred history

Star Kingdom was imported from England by legendary breeder Stanley Wootton in 1951, and Angus Armanasco was entrusted with dozens of the Star Kingdom progeny. Within a couple of years, the Star Kingdom swarm had smashed all distance records up to 2000m. Star Kingdom would be described these days as a game changer; champion sire five times straight, champion sire of two-year-olds seven times in a row. He sired the first five Golden Slipper winners. There will never be another Star Kingdom, but Fastnet Rock would seem his modern equal. Smart punters, like smart buyers and smart trainers, cottoned on to Fastnet Rock, who may prove the most important Australasian horse of all time. He serves more than 200 mares a season (in Australia) at $275,000 a time. He is conservatively worth $500 million. His good horses are exceptional and his best champions. Anthony Cummings reckons Your Song and Smart Missile rank equally as the best horses he has trained. Both are by Fastnet Rock. Atlantic Jewel was ranked the best filly in 30 years by ratings' experts. She is by Fastnet Rock, as are spectacular Group one winners Irish Lights, Mosheen, Nechita, Foxwedge and Super Cool.

Sired by Danehill to dam Piccadilly Circus, Fastnet Rock started his racing career in 2004. Though he did not win any races as a two-year-old, he ran third in the Gr.1 AJC Sires Produce Stakes. He found great success after turning three years old. After being unplaced in the Caulfield Guineas, he proved himself as one of the top Australian sprinters by winning the Gr.1 Lightning Stakes and Oakleigh Plate in February 2005. Trainer, Paul Perry wished Fastnet Rock to repeat the successful English campaign by Choisir, who is trained by Perry, in 2003. After he ran second in the T J Smith Stakes in March 2005, Fastnet Rock was sent to the United Kingdom to prepare for the Gr.1 Golden Jubilee Stakes and July Cup. He suffered from travel sickness and was unable to run in any race in the UK and was retired to stud.

Fastnet Rock began his career at stud in 2005 standing at Coolmore Stud Australia in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, shuttled to Ireland 2010-21. In 2007 he covered 257 mares, second only behind Bel Esprit (266). In 2008 Fastnet Rock covered 248 mares at a fee of $82,500. In 2012 his fee was increased to $220,000 making him the most expensive stallion standing at stud in Australia. In 2013 Fastnet Rock's fee rose again to $275,000 which made him $100,000 dearer than the second most expensive stallion in Australia, Redoute's Choice. He stood at Coolmore late in his career at A$110,000.

Fastnet Rock has sired 43 individual Group one winning horses including multiple Group one winners Mosheen, Sea Siren and Atlantic Jewel. Other notable Stakes winners include Smart Missile, Driefontein, Cluster, Bull Point, Albany Reunion, Your Song and Hvasstan. A Group I winning daughter of Fastnet Rock, Via Sistina was given to Chris Waller after being imported to Australia by Yulong and has proved to be a star. While Coolmore Stud's senior citizen Fastnet Rock may be in the twilight of an extraordinary career, his influence only grows stronger through his daughters, who have the son of Danehill on the verge of his first broodmare sires' crown. Fastnet Rock mare Miss Debutante produced Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible), Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar); then took it to another level with third foal Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), the 2024 Golden Slipper winner and 3rd placed Storm Boy. Grunt's first Group 1 winner, Veight, is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Neena Rock, and Climbing Star is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Bryony. The VRC Derby and Rosehill Guineas hero Riff Rocket (American Pharoah) is the first Group 1 winner for a daughter of Fastnet Rock's son Smart Missile. The legacy continues on and will for many years.

RACE RECORD - 19: 6–7–2

EARNINGS - A$1,654,100

Up and Coming Stakes (2004)

Roman Consul Stakes (2004)

L'Oréal Plate (2004)

Lexus Classic (2004)

Lightning Stakes (2005)

Oakleigh Plate (2005)