Acrobat heads into his first season at Coolmore Stud this year having had just the one run as a 2YO which showed us two things, he was early and he was quick, so let’s profile this son of Fastnet Rock.
Bred by Coolmore and sent to the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in Covid ravaged 2020, he didn’t make his $1million reserve and was duly sent to the races in the ownership of his breeders.
And we only got one look at him, in December after barrier trialling initially in October.
It was the Inglis Nursery over 1000m at Randwick where he certainly outclassed his opposition and in doing so ran the fastest time seen by a juvenile over that course.
Another positive stat is the fact there were two other 1000m races held on the same day for older horses, both in slower overall time and slower last 600m sectional than Acrobat, while there was also the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap over 1200m, again a slower last 600m sectional than Acrobat.
So there’s no denying he had high quality speed and obviously able to go early, both traits which traditionally appeal to the Australian market.
His pedigree is strong, a son of Fastnet Rock out of Hips Don’t Lie (Stravinsky), a three-time stakes winning juvenile, who has also left the stakes winning Lake Geneva, placed in the Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond as well, and the Group winning juvenile Ennis Hill.
So early speed is in plentiful supply wherever we look.
What sort of mares might suit?
There are eight sons of Fastnet Rock that have currently sired Group One winners so we’re not short on data, with mares descended from Sadler’s Wells and Storm Cat prominent but the below table shows all the stakeswinners so far sired by sons of Fastnet Rock.
Go here for the full profile on Acrobat who is standing his first season at Coolmore at a fee of $13,750