Date posted June 17, 2009 | Posted by Michele Cullen | Filed under
Danehill Dancer,
Premium Updates,
Racing and Breeding,
Staff Favourites In England overnight at Royal Ascot, Danehill Dancer’s son, Mastercraftsman stuck out his neck when it mattered most to hold off Delegator in a thrilling renewal of the Group I St James’s Palace Stakes (1600m). Ridden by Johnny Murtagh, for Aidan O’Brien, he was sent the odds-on favourite as the pacemaker Set Sail began to tire soon after turning into the straight. As Mastercarftsman staked his claim so to did Delegator. Delegator (Dansili - Indian Love Bird by Efisio) was travelling just as well as the favourite and appeared to get the better of Mastercraftsman half-way down the straight.
Both horses went ‘toe to toe’ staging a titanic duel until O’Brien’s colt got the better of his rival to claim his fourth win at the elite level by a neck.
In doing so Mastercraftsman gave O’Brien his sixth win in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
Lord Shanakill (Speightstown - Green Room by Theatrical) did best of the rest for third.
Murtagh told At The Races that the three-year-old had trained on well since his win in the Group I Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh and that he thought that he was “right up there with the best” he had ridden.
Mastercraftsman’s win was his sixth at only his eighth career start and is out of Starlight Dreams (by Black Tie Affair) a winner of two races in America.
Starlight Dreams has proven to be a better producer than racemare as she is the dam of four foals, three have raced and all are winners. Along with her star colt she is also the dam of Genuine Devotion (by Rock of Gibraltar) a winner of five races in America including the Grade 3 Churchill Downs Locust Grove Hcp.
Mastercraftsman hails from a strong European family that features the high-class racehorse Sakhee (by Bahri) a winner of eight races including the Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and York International Stakes and placing’s in the Belmont Breeders’ Cup Classic, Epsom Derby and Dubai World Cup.
Danehill Dancer returns to Coolmore Australia again this spring and his fee has been set at $88,000.00 (inc gst).
