By Renee Geelen/TTR AusNZ
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 (Ire), who joins the Rosemont Stud roster for 2025 at a fee of A$22,000 inc. GST.
After Too Darn Hot, Henry Longfellow is only the second Group 1-winning two-year-old son of Dubawi (Ire) to ever stand in Australia. 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.
“Like Too Darn Hot, who we have strongly supported in 2024, he is a highly-rated, Group 1-winning two-year-old by the world's number one sire of sires Dubawi and from a phenomenal female family.
“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 two-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 two-year-old son of Dubawi to stand in Victoria.”
The first horse that Rosemont Stud have stood in conjunction with Coolmore, Henry Longfellow also showed high-class form in five starts as a three-year-old when he finished second in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes and third in the G1 Prix du Moulin.
Ryan McEvoy, general manager of bloodstock at Rosemont, said, “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.
“He's out of a phenomenal mare [the seven-time Group 1 winner Minding], 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.”
He added, “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.”
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