There are a lot of ways at looking at our leading sires list, but as we come to the end of spring an assessment of the elite sires by number of stakes winners is always interesting.
You’d have to have been living under a stone not to have noticed the phenomenal run of success being enjoyed by Arrowfield Stud’s new addition Written Tycoon, who moved from Woodside Park Stud in Victoria earlier this year.
That decision to transfer him to the Hunter Valley has paid off in spades and if your mare has gone to him this spring at a fee of $77,000 you would be entitled to be feeling pretty good about it.
Not only has he had nine stakes-winners, but he’s also added an important string to his bow in being able to sire top class three year-olds at a mile with Ole Kirk and Odeum propelling him to new heights.
A lot of the horses on this list are the names we expect to see and they are the most expensive sires in the country, but good to see horses like All Too Hard and Shamus Award making their mark at more affordable fees, the former priced at $27,500 by Vinery Stud and the latter at Rosemont Stud where he stands for $19,800.
All Too Hard (Casino Prince) and Shamus Award (Snitzel) were both Champion 3YO's, the former winning the Cox Plate at that age and the latter running second, their offspring showing many of their attributes in hitting their best form at three and beyond.
Smart Missile is another name that continues to deliver, the Group II winning son of Fastnet Rock continuing to build on his success and standing at Twin Hills Stud at a fee of $22,000 is also unbeatable value.
