French Group 2 winner Planet Five (USA) has been signed to stand at Touchstone Farm in Western Australia.

Planet Five (5h Storm Cat – Six Perfections by Celtic Swing) was trained by Pascal Bary for the Niarchos family and his crowning achievement came in the G2 Prix du Gros Chene (1000m) at Chantilly in June 2010.

“This colt has super acceleration and he was too fast for a very good field of sprinters,” Bary said after the race.  “This victory gives me particular pleasure as he is the first product of Six Perfections.”

Planet Five was covered up on the rails in the Prix du Gros Chene before Christophe Lemaire brought him through to challenge with 300m remaining.  

Game English raider Piccadilly Filly (Exceed And Excel) kept on rolling and G1 star Marchard D’Or (Marchand De Sable) swooped with a trademark late rally.  But Planet Five kept them at bay clocking 58.20s in soft going down the straight course.

Bary set Planet Five for the G1 Prix Maurice De Gheest and G1 Prix De L’Abbaye but, after unplaced runs in both sprints, he was found to have injured a fetlock and was retired after just 11 starts.  

He had come through the ranks as a three year-old winning a Chantilly maiden by six lengths before doubling up at the same venue a month later.

Planet Five’s dam Six Perfections was a homebred for the Niarchos family’s Flaxman Holdings and she was a G1 winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac and Jacques Le Marois before an epic win in the 2003 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

It’s the family of legendary mare Miesque.  Her record of 10 Group 1 wins held sway under Goldikova bettered it last year.  And Miesque equalled her race record at stud by foaling champion sire Kingmambo.

Planet Five is by Storm Cat and his sons Tale Of The Cat and Statue Of Liberty are leading the sireline in Australia.  “They have been the best Storm Cat stallions to come out here until Planet Five,” Touchstone Farm owner Glenn Martin claimed.  “This horse has to rank right up there with them on pedigree and performance.

“He gives breeders in Australia the chance to access a truly impressive sprinter with some of the best bloodlines in the world,” Martin added.  “We are really excited to get him and think he will suit Western Australia perfectly.”

Planet Five will stand his first season at a fee of $5,500 (+ gst).  He will join a Touchstone Farm roster that comprises Danasinga (Danehill), Flying Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus) and Vital Equine (Danetime).