A EUROPEAN champion over 10 furlongs in 2015, Fascinating Rock was an extremely tough and consistent racehorse who won eight of his 15 starts, spread over four seasons. He also has a good outcross pedigree, as he is the best son of Australian champion Fastnet Rock in Europe and his dam is a winning daughter of Polar Falcon out of a winning half-sister to international champion Gothenberg.
Fastnet Rock, a son of Danehill, was the champion three-year-old colt in Australia, with Group 1 victories in the Oakleigh Plate and the Lightning Stakes. In addition to 21 individual Group 1 winners in Australia and New Zealand, he has another five in Europe, including the fillies Qualify (Epsom Oaks), Diamondsandrubies and Intricately, as well as Rivet who won the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in 2016.
Fascinating Rock won his first three starts at three, including the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes at Navan by two and a half lengths and the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown. Those successes earned him visits to Epsom for the Derby and to the Curragh for the Irish Derby, running respectably in each behind Australia.
Returning from a 10-month break, Fascinating Rock soon showed as a four-year-old how much he had improved, comfortably winning the Listed Heritage Stakes over a mile at Leopardstown first time out and then defeating Parish Hall in the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes, before finishing a close second to Al Kazeem in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup.
He ended that season in fine style, winning the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes at Leopardstown, before travelling to Ascot for the Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes and scoring by more than a length from Group 1 stars Found and Jack Hobbs.
All three of Fascinating Rock’s starts in 2016 were at the Curragh, beginning with a third to Found in the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes.
Three weeks later in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup he defeated Found for the second time, by almost four lengths, and then he ended a brilliant racing career by only just failing to carry 10st to victory in the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes.
In the World Rankings for 2015 Fascinating Rock was rated the joint best colt in Europe at 10 furlongs, on a mark level with Flintshire and above The Grey Gatsby, Postponed, California Chrome and Al Kazeem.
Jt Champion older horse in Europe in 2015 (9.5-10.5f.). Jt Champion older horse in Ireland in 2015. Won eight races, £1,152,569, from 1 mile to 1½ miles, 3 to 5 years including, Qipco Champion Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Tattersalls Gold Cup, Curragh, Gr.1, Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.3, KPMG Enterprise Kilternan Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.3, P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, Navan, Gr.3, So You Think EBF Mooresbridge Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3, Heritage Stakes, Leopardstown, L, also placed second in Tattersalls Gold Cup, Curragh, Gr.1, Kilfrush Stud Royal Whip Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3, and third in Camelot EBF Mooresbridge Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3.
Retires to stud in 2017
Stands at: Ballylinch Stud, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
Contact: John O’Connor, David Myerscough or Mark Byrne
Telephone: +353 (0) 56 7724217
Email: info@ballylinchstud.ie
Web: www.ballylinchstud.com
Fee: €10,000