HAILED as a European champion over 10 furlongs in both 2015 and 2016, 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 bred in Europe and his dam is a winning daughter of Polar Falcon out of a winning half-sister to international champion Gothenberg. He looks great value at only €7,500 in his third season at Ballylinch.
Not surprisingly, several of the 56 first foals by Fascinating Rock brought some substantial prices at the sales last autumn, with the filly out of Lady Livius selling for €185,000 at Goffs in November, where there was also €110,000 paid for the daughter of Bebhinn. The average price of his foals at all sales was £36,986.
Fastnet Rock, the sire of Fascinating Rock, is a son of Danehill and he was the champion three-year-old colt in Australia with Group 1 victories in the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield and the Lightning Stakes at Flemington. In addition to 27 individual Group 1 winners in Australia and New Zealand, he already has another eight Group 1 stars in Europe to his credit, including two brilliant sprinters last season in Merchant Navy, who won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, and the Prix de la Foret hero One Master, as well as the fillies Qualify (Epsom Oaks), Diamondsandrubies, Zhukova and Intricately.
Having had just one outing as a two-year-old, Fascinating Rock won his first three starts the next season, 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 well in each of those behind Australia.
After 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, also at the Curragh. 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.
The Curragh was the scene of all three of Fascinating Rock’s starts in his final season, beginning with a third to Found in the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes. However, three weeks later in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup he defeated Found for the second time, winning by almost four lengths, and then he ended a brilliant racing career by only just failing to carry 10 stone to victory in the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes.
FASCINATING ROCK (IRE). Jt Champion older horse in Europe in 2015 (9.5-10.5f.). Jt Champion older horse in Ireland in 2015 & 2016. 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.
Retired to Stud in 2017; first crop now yearlings.
Stands at: Ballylinch Stud, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
Contact: John O’Connor or Nicola Griffin
Telephone: +353 (0) 56 7724217
Email: info@ballylinchstud.ie
Web: www.ballylinchstud.com
Fee: €7,500