THE sprinters’ division has been dominated this year by the Oasis Dream (by Green Desert) colt Muhaarar who completed a Group 1 hat-trick when taking the LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest over six and a half furlongs at Deauville latt Sunday.

He was not the only member of his age group to enjoy pattern sprint success that day as, at the Curragh, three-year-old Mattmu recorded a short-head victory in the Group 3 Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Phoenix Sprint Stakes.

That defeat of Toscanini, who is also three, was his fifth win from 13 starts. He has been runner-up six times and third once, and in addition to the Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte in November, his winning tally also includes the Listed Rockingham Stakes at York.

Runner-up in a trio of early-season five furlong maidens as a juvenile, all of his subsequent form is over six so it is no surprise that his entries include the Group 1 Betfred Sprint Cup and the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes, both over that same trip.

It remains to be seen if James Bowers’ homebred colt is up to winning at the highest level, but he is clearly a talented performer and it catches the eye that Tim Easterby’s charge was also entered for next week’s Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes over the minimum trip.

Mattmu is the best son of the classic-placed dual seven furlong Group 3 scorer and former Bearstone Stud stallion Indesatchel, and as a talented horse from the all-powerful Danehill (by Danzig) sire line he is likely to prove popular when he goes to stud.

Should Mattmu win at the highest level then his sire will join horses such as Choisir, Mastercraftsman, Monsieur Bond, Lizard Island, and Silent Times as Group/Grade 1-siring sons of the retired star stallion Danehill Dancer (by Danehill).

Inclusion of the last named on that list may surprise some, as Silent Times achieved only moderate success from a handful of seasons in Europe, but he went to Brazil and was represented by two Grade 1 scorers in that country in June. Lizard Island’s Grade 1 stars have come in Argentina.

Mattmu is a full-brother to Penny Garcia, who won once over seven furlongs and three times over six, and he is the third foal out of the capable Katie Boo (by Namid), a six-times sprint winner who scored four times over the minimum trip.

Her half-brother Grissom (by Desert Prince) won eight races, their dual stakes-placed half-sister Penthouse Serenade (by Val Royal) won six, and the siblings also include Maldon Prom (by Kheleyf), a blacktype scorer in Macau.

The grandam of Mattmu is Misty Peak (by Sri Pekan) and although she did not win she earned blacktype by taking third place in the Listed Silver Flash Stakes as a two-year-old.

Her half-sister Golly Gosh (by Danehill) won three times and was placed in the Listed Ballycullen Stakes, and that close relation of Mattmu is out of Miss Declared (by Alleged), an unraced half-sister to nine winners and daughter of the dual US blacktype scorer Greida (by Far North).

Mattmu, who was rated 114 before his latest success, has Group 1 potential if he can improve further, and should he achieve that feat then he would not be the first member of his family to do so as his afore mentioned fourth dam, Greida, was a half-sister to Helen Christine (by Northern Jove), dam of the classic-placed dual Grade 1 star and Argentine juvenile champion Handsome Halo (by Southern Halo).

That horse has enjoyed some success at stud, which also augurs well for the future prospects of this high-class Danehill descendant.