Mastercraftsman (IRE)
February 19, 2006 – August 13, 2021
Danehill Dancer (IRE) x Starlight Dreams (USA), by Black Tie Affair (IRE)
Family 21-a
February 19, 2006 – August 13, 2021
Danehill Dancer (IRE) x Starlight Dreams (USA), by Black Tie Affair (IRE)
Family 21-a
The best of his crop as a 2-year-old in Europe, Mastercraftsman trained on to be a Classic winner and high-class miler as a 3-year old. A good international sire, he ranked among the top 10 sires at least once each in seven countries and reached his peak when he led the Chilean general sire list in 2019. He died unexpectedly of an apparent heart attack at the early age of 15.
Race record
12 starts, 7 wins, 1 seconds, 1 thirds, US$1,754,933 (includes converted earnings from England, France, and Ireland)
2008:
2009:
Honors
Cartier Award, European champion 2-year-old male (2008)
Assessments
Rated at 124 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2009 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 12 pounds below overall highweight Sea the Stars (the European Horse of the Year), who also topped the Intermediate category with 136 pounds.
As an individual
A muscular, well-balanced gray horse standing 16.1 ½ hands, Mastercraftsman was considered exceptionally handsome. He had a well-laid shoulder and some length through his body though his loins were strongly coupled. He had a high cruising speed and was very determined at the finish.
As a stallion
According to Coolmore’s website (https://coolmore.com/farms/ireland/stallions/mastercraftsman), Mastercraftsman was the leading European freshman sire of 2013, the leading European second crop sire of 2014, and the leading European third crop sire of 2015. His top progeny have ranged from sprinters to distance runners.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
Per El Turf (www.elturf.com):
Per the Stud Book de Chile (www.studbookdechile.cl):
Notable progeny
A Raving Beauty (GER), Alpha Centauri (IRE), Amazing Maria (IRE), Bamb Craf (ARG), Cambridge (CHI), Danzdanzdance (AUS), Discoveries (IRE), Kingston Hill (IRE), Off Limits (IRE), Ojo del Milagro (ARG), Reine de Arabie (CHI), Saint Emilion (NZ), Technician (IRE), The Grey Gatsby (IRE), Thee Auld Floozie (NZ), Valley Girl (NZ), Ya Primo (CHI)
Notable progeny of daughters
Loving Gaby (AUS)
Connections
Mastercraftsman was bred by Lynch Bages Ltd. He was owned by Coolmore associates Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael Tabor and was trained by Aidan O’Brien. His regular jockey was Johnny Murtagh. He entered stud in 2010 at Coolmore Stud, County Tipperary, Ireland, and shuttled to Windsor Park Stud, Cambridge, New Zealand. He later shuttled to Haras Firmamento, Argentina. He died of an apparent heart attack at Coolmore’s Castlelhyde Stud in August 2021.
Pedigree notes
Mastercraftsman is inbred 4x4 to the great international sire Northern Dancer, 5x4 to unbeaten Italian champion and three-time English/Irish champion sire Ribot, 5x5x5 to Northern Dancer’s dam Natalma (a notable modern foundation mare), and 5x5 to 1966 American Horse of the Year and four-time American champion broodmare sire Buckpasser. He is a full brother to Group 1-placed Famous, dam of listed stakes winner Sherbet Lemon (by Lemon Drop Kid). He is also a half brother to 2008 Locust Grove Handicap (USA-G3) winner Genuine Devotion (by Rock of Gibraltar), second dam of Grade 3 winner Zoffarelli.
Mastercraftsman was produced from the winner Starlight Dreams, a half sister to multiple listed stakes winner Matahif (by Wassl) and to stakes-placed Keswa (by Kings Lake), dam of English Group 3 winner Mazuna; second dam of 204 Austrian champion 3-year-old male Turtle Boson, multiple Group 2 winner Beautiful Romance, and French Group 3 winner Beyond Desire; and third dam of 2017 Greek champion 2-year-old male Koutsonakos. Starlight Dreams is also a half sister to Rafif (by Riverman), dam of multiple Group 1 winner Pressing (by Soviet Star).
Starlight Dreams and her siblings are out of the winning Lyphard mare Reves Celestes, a half sister to English Group 2 winners Celestial Storm (by Roberto) and Thawakib (by Sadler’s Wells). The last-named mare is the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Sakhee (by Bahri) and listed stakes winner Nasheed (by Riverman) and the second dam of Group 3 winner Zamaam. Reves Celestes is also a half sister to Le Vague a l’Aime (by Vaguely Noble), dam of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner River Memories (by Riverman) and French Group 3 winner Raise a Memory (by Raise a Native) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Blue Steller. The next dam in Mastercraftsman’s tail-female line is Tobira Celeste, a Group 3-placed daughter of Ribot and 1957 Matron Stakes winner Heavenly Body (by Dark Star) and a half sister to French Group 3 winner A Thousand Stars (by Hoist the Flag).
Books and media
Footage of Mastercraftsman's victory in the 2008 National Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67RZ93jS-lk.
Last updated: October 24, 2022
Race record
12 starts, 7 wins, 1 seconds, 1 thirds, US$1,754,933 (includes converted earnings from England, France, and Ireland)
2008:
- Won Bank of Scotland National Stakes (IRE-G1, 7FT, The Curragh)
- Won Phoenix Stakes (IRE-G1, 6FT, Phoenix)
- Won Railway Stakes (IRE-G2, 6FT, The Curragh)
2009:
- Won Boylesports.com Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1, 8FT, The Curragh)
- Won St. James's Palace Stakes (ENG-G1, 8FT, Ascot)
- Won Diamond Stakes (IRE-G3, 10.5FA, Dundalk)
- 2nd Juddmonte International Stakes (ENG-G1, 10.5FT, York)
- 3rd Irish Champion Stakes (IRE-G1, 10FT, Leopardstown)
Honors
Cartier Award, European champion 2-year-old male (2008)
Assessments
Rated at 124 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2009 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 12 pounds below overall highweight Sea the Stars (the European Horse of the Year), who also topped the Intermediate category with 136 pounds.
As an individual
A muscular, well-balanced gray horse standing 16.1 ½ hands, Mastercraftsman was considered exceptionally handsome. He had a well-laid shoulder and some length through his body though his loins were strongly coupled. He had a high cruising speed and was very determined at the finish.
As a stallion
According to Coolmore’s website (https://coolmore.com/farms/ireland/stallions/mastercraftsman), Mastercraftsman was the leading European freshman sire of 2013, the leading European second crop sire of 2014, and the leading European third crop sire of 2015. His top progeny have ranged from sprinters to distance runners.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
- 10th on the English general sire list in 2014.
- 7th on the French general sire list in 2014; 8th in 2018.
- 10th on the German general sire list in 2020.
- 4th on the Irish general sire list in 2014.
- 6th on the New Zealand general sire list in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017; 8th in 2017/2018.
Per El Turf (www.elturf.com):
- Led the Chilean general sire list in 2019; 4th in 2018; 5th in 2020; 8th in 2021.
- 10th on the Peruvian general sire list in 2020 and 2021.
Per the Stud Book de Chile (www.studbookdechile.cl):
- Led the Chilean general sire list in 2019; 4th in 2018 and 2020; 8th in 2021.
Notable progeny
A Raving Beauty (GER), Alpha Centauri (IRE), Amazing Maria (IRE), Bamb Craf (ARG), Cambridge (CHI), Danzdanzdance (AUS), Discoveries (IRE), Kingston Hill (IRE), Off Limits (IRE), Ojo del Milagro (ARG), Reine de Arabie (CHI), Saint Emilion (NZ), Technician (IRE), The Grey Gatsby (IRE), Thee Auld Floozie (NZ), Valley Girl (NZ), Ya Primo (CHI)
Notable progeny of daughters
Loving Gaby (AUS)
Connections
Mastercraftsman was bred by Lynch Bages Ltd. He was owned by Coolmore associates Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael Tabor and was trained by Aidan O’Brien. His regular jockey was Johnny Murtagh. He entered stud in 2010 at Coolmore Stud, County Tipperary, Ireland, and shuttled to Windsor Park Stud, Cambridge, New Zealand. He later shuttled to Haras Firmamento, Argentina. He died of an apparent heart attack at Coolmore’s Castlelhyde Stud in August 2021.
Pedigree notes
Mastercraftsman is inbred 4x4 to the great international sire Northern Dancer, 5x4 to unbeaten Italian champion and three-time English/Irish champion sire Ribot, 5x5x5 to Northern Dancer’s dam Natalma (a notable modern foundation mare), and 5x5 to 1966 American Horse of the Year and four-time American champion broodmare sire Buckpasser. He is a full brother to Group 1-placed Famous, dam of listed stakes winner Sherbet Lemon (by Lemon Drop Kid). He is also a half brother to 2008 Locust Grove Handicap (USA-G3) winner Genuine Devotion (by Rock of Gibraltar), second dam of Grade 3 winner Zoffarelli.
Mastercraftsman was produced from the winner Starlight Dreams, a half sister to multiple listed stakes winner Matahif (by Wassl) and to stakes-placed Keswa (by Kings Lake), dam of English Group 3 winner Mazuna; second dam of 204 Austrian champion 3-year-old male Turtle Boson, multiple Group 2 winner Beautiful Romance, and French Group 3 winner Beyond Desire; and third dam of 2017 Greek champion 2-year-old male Koutsonakos. Starlight Dreams is also a half sister to Rafif (by Riverman), dam of multiple Group 1 winner Pressing (by Soviet Star).
Starlight Dreams and her siblings are out of the winning Lyphard mare Reves Celestes, a half sister to English Group 2 winners Celestial Storm (by Roberto) and Thawakib (by Sadler’s Wells). The last-named mare is the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Sakhee (by Bahri) and listed stakes winner Nasheed (by Riverman) and the second dam of Group 3 winner Zamaam. Reves Celestes is also a half sister to Le Vague a l’Aime (by Vaguely Noble), dam of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner River Memories (by Riverman) and French Group 3 winner Raise a Memory (by Raise a Native) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Blue Steller. The next dam in Mastercraftsman’s tail-female line is Tobira Celeste, a Group 3-placed daughter of Ribot and 1957 Matron Stakes winner Heavenly Body (by Dark Star) and a half sister to French Group 3 winner A Thousand Stars (by Hoist the Flag).
Books and media
Footage of Mastercraftsman's victory in the 2008 National Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67RZ93jS-lk.
Last updated: October 24, 2022