Unexpectantly for punters a roughie 2-year-old filly lead start to finish for one spectacular show. Amongst the expected performers was Wootton Bassett’s colt Vatican on his debut run being placed 5th. Early days however!

Vatican was a high-profile purchase, secured for A$1.2 million at the Inglis Easter yearling sale by Tom Magnier of Coolmore.

As of December 2025, Vatican recently made his debut in the A$400,000 Inglis Nursery at Randwick, finishing 5th. He had two trials leading up to his first start. 

TBL Subject profile 👇🏇

https://www.pedigreequery.com/wheres+the+circus filly, by Trapeze Artist (AUS)

@ broodmare sire Fastnet Rock

Fastnet Rock’s impact in the breeding shed far surpassed his racetrack achievements. Like his sire Danehill, he became a champion sire in Australia twice (2011/12 and 2014/15). His legacy includes: 

  • Progeny: He sired nearly 1,200 individual winners globally, including 197 stakes winners and 44 G1 winners, a record for an Australian-born sire. Notable offspring include Atlantic Jewel, Avantage, Merchant Navy, and Via Sistina.
  • Versatility: His progeny were known for their versatility, winning G1 races at various distances.
  • Broodmare Sire: His influence continues through his daughters, who have produced over 150 stakes winners, making him a top-ranked broodmare sire. 

Fastnet Rock resided at Coolmore Australia for two decades and was humanely euthanized in September 2025, at the age of 24, after a rapid deterioration from an injury. His impact on the Australian and global thoroughbred breeding industry is considered profound. https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/we-owe-him-so-much-coolmore-australias-much-loved-stallion-fastnet-rock-dies/#:~:text=By%20Lydia%20Symonds,family’s%20operation%20and%20their%20partners.

The filly’s sire – Trapeze Artist https://widden.com/stallions/trapeze-artist/ distaff family 2-r. This distaff hints fame to none other than Phar Lap and Sunline. T.A. is the sire of G1 Griff, 2023 Caulfied Guineas winner and the curiosity where family 2-r may align to.

To get an idea, Trapeze Artist’s racing below – he goes wide, his spectacular turn of foot in beating Redzel, a back to back winner of The Everest.

Trapeze Artist – 5×3 Bletchingly (Star Kingdom/Hyperion male direct) – 4×5 Storm Bird by Northern Dancer to 3x N.D (with focus to Peace Chance/Fair Play). This has the profile expansive.

Trapeze Artist encompasses a true-type of types, both kernel and nut-shell focusing Relic – War Relic – Man O War – Fair Play – Hastings – Spendthrift. This backbone is the grand-sire Snitzel’s distaff In Reality ➡️➡️3×3 War Relic to 3x Fair Play through Discovery.

Trapeze Artist broodmare sire Doomsday > Damascus through sire Sword Dancer with Man O War distaff – evident how that cross is working.

T.A. distaff – 3rd dam Elegant Walk (AUS) 3x Hyperion, which also notes a dam 4×5 Honey Buzzard by Papyrus. She is the dam of Honeyway (GB) and why peculiarly, coincidentally (?) upon ff. 2-r, has alike influence to our great New Zealand mare Australian Hall of Fame – Sunline (Desert Sun)

Honey Buzzard/Honeyway also influences Fastnet Rock through 4th dam Hondalae by Better Honey.

To further observe @Where’s the Circus distaff > Sir Ivor from a Man O War daughter @ 3rd dam. His son Sir Tristram 6×5 Papyrus. Papyrus repeats to line Star Kingdom, 4x Star Kingdom. The upfront profile @2x Danehill, has through Ribot, to the 2nd dam by Papyrus, dam Barbara Burrini. (post – Papyrus Princequillo)

T.A. future matings should or may bring Nijinsky/The Minstrel duly to the dam Flaming Page. Flaming Page has 4th dam by Man O War. She also carries 3 strains to the great Musket. For phenotype – the two ‘bone’ sires Man O War and Musket are ultimate true-typesetters – they represent the heart of the breed itself, a breed of breeds.

Where’s the Circus 👇👇

Nijinsky6×5
The Minstrel7×5

One cannot mistake the consistent prepotency – this unbeatable MOW backbone (each n’ all, a specific line ‘marked’ with good reason) alike to Golden Sixty & Ka Ying Rising where KYR has just matched Golden Sixty’s record of 16 wins straight.

We wanted to know just exactly what obscure dominancy? What earlier strain/ trait bred-in may have developed a superior pedigree, which surpasses all. For reference, this focuses Man O War male line parentage inclusive and with descendants et al collective.

Let’s uncover the gem: Harts Maria (USA) > 3x Medley by Gimcrack (GB). The dam Harts Maria is significant female influence to Spendthrift, Man O War’s 3rd sire.

Gimcrack (above) – a grey, foaled 1760 and though only a little over fourteen hands high won a great number of races, and in fact made a very big mark on the turf. He began his running career when four years old and won races when he was eleven and his victories were very greatly in excess of his defeats. Gimcrack is elsewhere documented as a Galloway from a hobby mare whose daughter is Brocklesby Betty family 23.

Sire, Man O War (of his blue-bloods) has the great son War Admiral and there in, a super potent genotype X: accorded again by 5×4 Gimcrack (Medley & Gimcrack mare) to produce American Eclipse. (n.b. his daughter/ dam Lize has another strain Gimcrack through his grand-son Bell-Air. Lize’s daughter Lida is dam of Enquirer (USA).

Cornelius van Ranst’s AMERICAN ECLIPSE – Northern color bearer in his victorious match race with Sir Henry. (photo – The Thoroughbred World, Walter D. Osborne)

Enquirer (USA), sire of Mannie Gray, dam of Domino. This carries ‘geno’ to Sweep (USA), a champion two- and three-year-old from dam Pink Domino. Sweep is the b/m sire of War Admiral, daughter Brushup.

@Where’s the Circus profile, > the Nijinsky son the beautiful Royal Academy thru Crimson Satan , sire Spy Song @ 3×3 Peter Pan/Commando/Domino – 4×5 Hastings by Spendthrift.

What’s that trait about?? “the best racers of their day, although they were generally small; but their limbs were remarkably fine, and they were distinguished for their ability to carry weight ” ➡️https://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Gimcrack.htm

additional

(Hot! take on board pedigree Sally Ward, founder of f.f. A4 > 6×5 Medley by Gimcrack). Readers know this… as California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit – Love the Chase) 7x G1 winner. 2014 Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Colt – 2016 Horse of the Year & Champion Older Male – Richest Kentucky Derby Winner in History

f.f. A4 – https://www.pedigreequery.com/green+desert

Pedigrees Mr Busher and full sister Busher > by War Admiral (Spendthrift) + 3×4 Sweep

Pedigree – https://www.pedigreequery.com/red+god (Nasrullah – Spring Run)

Gimcrack Stakes for 2yo’s is run annually at York since 1846 in Gimcrack’s honour

Bred or died out – https://www.pedigreequery.com/clockfast5 excellent son of Gimcrack