Mastercraftsman

Mastercraftsman
Racing silks of Derrick Smith
Sire	Danehill Dancer
Grandsire	Danehill
Dam	Starlight Dreams
Damsire	Black Tie Affair
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	2006
Country	Ireland
Colour	Grey
Breeder	Lynch Bages Ltd.
Owner	Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor
Trainer	Aidan O'Brien
Record	11:7-1-1
Earnings	£976,946
Major wins
Railway Stakes (2008) Phoenix Stakes (2008) National Stakes (2008) Irish 2,000 Guineas (2009) St. James's Palace Stakes (2009) Diamond Stakes (2009)
Awards
European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt (2008)

Mastercraftsman (foaled February 19, 2006 in Ireland) is a Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. The four-time Group One-winning colt was trained by Aidan O'Brien and was ridden by Johnny Murtagh in all of his wins. He is out of mare Starlight Dreams and by top stallion Danehill Dancer.

Racing career

Mastercraftsman's career began in a six-furlong maiden at the Curragh in May 2008, where he won by half a length. He won two more races over 6 furlongs at the Curragh, the group 2 Railway stakes and group 1 Phoenix stakes. His second group 1 win came when stepped up in trip to 7 furlongs in the National Stakes. It was not until his first race outside Ireland that he was defeat. He was beaten into fourth place by the Freddy Head trained Naaqoos in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère at Maisons-Laffitte in France. Nevertheless wins in three important conditions races earned Mastercraftsman 2008 European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors.^[1]

Mastercraftsman's first race of 2009 was the English 2000 Guineas ridden by Pat Smullen. The race was won by Sea the Stars with Mastercraftsman finishing in 5th place and behind Aidan O'Brien's other runner Rip Van Winkle. Success came in the Irish version of the classic with Mastercraftsman going starting favourite and going on to win by 4 and a half lengths. A few weeks later He returned to England to win the St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Mastercraftsman contested the International Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes finishing 2nd and 3rd place respectively behind winner Sea the Stars. He easily won the Group 3 Diamond Stakes as odds on favourite before a trip to the Breeders' Cup. He was favourite to win his last race the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile but could on manage 4th place behind the Kentucky Cup Classic winner Furthest Land.^[2]

Mastercaftsman was retired to stand at Coolmore Stud for the 2010 breeding season.^[3] In his first crop of foals he sired Racing Post Trophy winner Kingston Hill and the Prestige Stakes winner Amazing Maria.^[4]
In 2014 The Grey Gatsby won the Dante Stakes before going on to win the French Derby and a week later Kingston Hill finished second in the Epsom Derby.

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