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DANEHILL DANCER (IRE)

Stands for Private Fee at Coolmore

Danehill Dancer is the stallion of the week, for the week ended Sunday May 24.

The 16-year-old son of Danehill is one of the three best stallions in Europe at the moment, and he reminded just how good he is with a classic double this week: Mastercraftsman (Ire) won the Irish 2000 Guineas on May 23 and Again (Ire) landed the 1000 the next day. Brilliant!

Coolmore stood his sire, Danehill, one of the recent greats of Europe and Australasia, and the son has now ascended the throne, all the more impressive considering that Danehill Dancer began his career for a paltry fee of just 4,000 Irish guineas -- in fact, he stood for that fee his first four seasons at stud.

Now, he's the sire of 51 Group winners -- that total does not include his Listed Race winners. Primarily a sire of top-class 2-year-olds and 3-year-old milers, Danehill Dancer has 10 G1 winners to his credit, and Mastercraftsman is a perfect example of the best of them. Last season the classic winner was a dual G1 winner. Likewise, Again also was a G1 winner last year.

Other notable runners for the stallion include 1000 Guineas winner Speciosa (Ire), G1 QE II Stakes winner Where or When (Ire), US G1 winner Alexander Tango (Ire), Australian 2-year-old champion and G1 winner Choisir (Aus), 2-year-old G1 winner Miss Beatrix (Ire), etc.

--Sid Fernando