Cover image supplied
With the decision by Godolphin to stop shuttling up-and-coming sire sensation Too Darn Hot (GB), Australian breeders will have an opportunity to breed to a stallion with a very similar profile in Henry Longfellow, both being Group 1 juvenile winning sons of Champion Sire Dubawi (Ire).
Too Darn Hot won all his four starts at two including the G1 Dewhurst Stakes, while Henry Longfellow won all his three starts at two including the G1 National Stakes.
“If ever there was a colt bred destined for greatness, it is Henry Longfellow” said Rosemont Principal Anthony Mithen, who will stand the colt in conjunction with Coolmore.
“If ever there was a colt bred destined for greatness, it is Henry Longfellow”- Anthony Mithen
“Like Too Darn Hot, who we have strongly supported in 2024, he is a highly rated, Group 1 winning 2-year-old by the world’s number one sire of sires Dubawi and from a phenomenal female family.
Henry Longfellow (Ire) | Image supplied
“Sons of Dubawi have really set the industry alight and his legacy as a breed-shaping stallion is proving every post a winner with eight of his sons having already sired Group 1 winners of their own including Night Of Thunder, Too Darn Hot, Zarak and New Bay.
“Given the 2-year-old impact stallions such as Too Darn Hot and Night Of Thunder, who is also from a Galileo mare, have had in Australia, particularly with Danehill line mares, it made sense for us to target a high-quality 2-year-old son of Dubawi to stand in Victoria.”
A race record to suit Australia
With Australian breeders keen to have stock that jumps and runs early, Henry Longfellow’s race record is noteworthy. He debuted as a July juvenile (equivalent to a January juvenile here) winning over 1400 metres. He returned to the Curragh three weeks later for the G2 Futurity Stakes.
Sat behind the leader for most of the trip, Henry Longfellow exploded clear with a furlong to go, stretching out the field behind him to win by nearly 3l.
Three weeks after that, he faced just three rivals in the G1 National Stakes including last start G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Ridden by Ryan Moore, Henry Longfellow sat quietly in third for most of the 1400-metre journey, and then in a repeat of his last start, he accelerated quickly at the final furlong to sprint past the leaders and win by several lengths.
At three, he was given five starts, all in Group 1 company and all at a mile, and he placed on two occasions including second in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes to Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) who had won the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at two and went on to also win the G1 2000 Guineas.
He was third in the G1 Prix Du Longchamp to Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}) and Charyn (Ire). Henry Longfellow also ran fourth in the G1 Sussex Stakes.
Anthony Mithen and Ryan McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“A homebred for Coolmore, he was identified early as a quality individual with juvenile potential. Physically he’s a very Australian style of stallion, huge hip, a tick over 15.3hh, with superb quality and movement and balance. He’s the type of horse that clearly works here, and we think his phenomenal pedigree and profile is hugely exciting,” said Ryan McEvoy.
“A homebred for Coolmore, he (Henry Longfellow) was identified early as a quality individual with juvenile potential. Physically he’s a very Australian style of stallion” - Ryan McEvoy
“You couldn’t help but be impressed with him at the conclusion of his 2-year-old year. He was undefeated, and a big margin Group 1 winner with a high Timeform rating. We engaged in discussion with Coolmore about him in the latter part of last year, stating that we’d be keep to explore standing him in Victoria.”
He is the first horse that Rosemont Stud has stood in conjunction with Coolmore since Starspangledbanner.
Too Darn Hot (GB) | Standing at Darley
“He’s terribly exciting and joins Too Darn Hot as the only other juvenile Group 1 winner by Dubawi to stand here. That appealed to us, especially given our support of Too Darn Hot. We are big fans of Too Darn Hot and currently have six mares in foal to him in the Northern Hemisphere.”
A simply outstanding pedigree
A son of triple Group 1 winner Dubawi (Ire) who is a Champion Stallion with 293 stakes winners, and sons at stud such as the aforementioned Too Darn Hot with 24 stakes winners, Night Of Thunder (Ire) with 61 stakes winners, Makfi (GB) with 48, Zarak (Fr) with 28, Poet’s Voice (GB) with 23 and the young stallion New Bay (GB) who already has 19 stakes winners and stands at Ballylinch Stud (IRE) for €75,000 (AU$124,000).
Henry Longfellow is the second foal of 2016 Horse Of The Year Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who won seven Group 1 races including the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Oaks. Minding is one of four stakes winners for dual Group 1 winner Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
The others are dual Group 1 winner Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Group 3 winner Kissed By Angels (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Another full sister, winning mare Heaven On Earth (Ire) is the dam of 2024 Group 3-placed Mother Nature (Ire) (Justify {USA}).
Dubawi (Ire) | Standing at Darley
“He’s out of a phenomenal mare, who was the best daughter of Galileo and the best mare trained by Aidan O’Brien. His second dam is by Danehill Dancer but we feel his pedigree is open enough for breeders to send him anything without feeling restricted,” McEvoy said.
“We’ve already identified many of our own mares for him, and Coolmore is supporting him with several mares being sent to Victoria for him. There’ll be plenty of support across the board for him.”
And those already planning for names – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a poet who socialised with the actress Lillie Langtry and King Edward VII.
Henry Longfellow will stand at Rosemont Stud for $22,000 inc GST (Payment On Live Foal).
