Quantity and Quality

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday May 18

When a first season sire goes to stud he needs two things in his first book of mares to become a commercial success, he firstly needs numbers, but he also needs quality, so we’ve taken a look at the books of mares covered by first season sires in Australia last season.

To make a real commercial impact a first book of 100 or more mares is a good place to start and the list below shows the top 20 first season sires from 2020 sorted by number of mares covered.
 

Sire

Fee

Served

Stud

Yes Yes Yes

$38,500

205

Coolmore

Zousain

$19,800

188

Widden

Brutal

$27,500

177

Newgate

Pierata

$44,000

168

Aquis

Dubious

$13,200

162

Aquis

D'Argento

$16,500

152

Bowness

Cosmic Force

$16,500

146

Newgate

Exceedance

$38,500

142

Vinery

Alabama Express

$27,500

141

Yulong

Castelvecchio

$33,000

141

Arrowfield

Tassort

$11,000

137

Newgate

Too Darn Hot (GB)

$44,000

130

Darley NSW

Blue Point (IRE)

$44,000

128

Darley Vic

Magna Grecia (IRE)

$22,000

122

Coolmore

Microphone

$38,500

117

Darley NSW

I Am Immortal

$13,750

116

Swettenham

Strasbourg

$11,000

109

Rosemont

Omaha Beach (USA)

$22,000

104

Spendthrift

Vino Rosso (USA)

$13,750

103

Spendthrift

Royal Meeting (IRE)

$11,000

88

Leneva Park



A sire that will eventually become a champion stallion does not need much in the way of quality mares as he will upgrade whatever comes his way as we have seen with stallions such as I Am Invincible, Not a Single Doubt and Written Tycoon

In their first seasons, I Am Invincible covered 133 mares at an $11,000 fee, Not a Single Doubt covered 128 mares at $13,750 and Written Tycoon covered 118 at $8,250.

Most stallions won’t be champion sires, so they need help from the other side of the fence.

The reality is quality mares will take a young sire a long way and will put his progeny into the major yearling sales from where they will then enter major stables and be given every chance to succeed under the care of our leading trainers.

Below are the same first season sires sorted by the total number of stakes-winners and stakes producers they covered last year with Darley’s Too Darn Hot (GB) heading the list.

Too Darn Hot stands again this spring at $44,000.

The Champion European 2YO Colt 2018 and 3YO Colt 2019, Too Darn Hot is the complete package being by champion sire Dubawi from a female pedigree bristling with Group I winners.

His class and credentials were not lost on Australian breeders and his book last year included no fewer than eight Group I winners and the dams of four more Group I winners!
 

Sire

Fee

Served

Stud

Stakes-Winners

Stakes Producers

Total

Too Darn Hot (GB)

$44,000

130

Darley NSW

36

16

52

Pierata

$44,000

168

Aquis

29

20

49

Blue Point (IRE)

$44,000

128

Darley Vic

33

19

49

Yes Yes Yes

$38,500

205

Coolmore

23

15

38

Brutal

$27,500

177

Newgate

18

16

34

Microphone

$38,500

117

Darley NSW

27

14

31

Exceedance

$38,500

142

Vinery

17

12

29

Cosmic Force

$16,500

146

Newgate

10

17

27

Alabama Express

$27,500

141

Yulong

8

12

20

Zousain

$19,800

188

Widden

11

8

19

Castelvecchio

$33,000

141

Arrowfield

8

10

18

Tassort

$11,000

137

Newgate

8

10

18

Omaha Beach (USA)

$22,000

104

Spendthrift

8

7

15

Dubious

$13,200

162

Aquis

7

6

13

I Am Immortal

$13,750

116

Swettenham

3

10

13

Vino Rosso (USA)

$13,750

103

Spendthrift

5

6

11

D'Argento

$16,500

152

Bowness

6

4

10

Magna Grecia (IRE)

$22,000

122

Coolmore

5

5

10

Strasbourg

$11,000

109

Rosemont

3

4

7

Royal Meeting (IRE)

$11,000

88

Leneva Park

4

3

7


 
Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday December 13
Here is the full list of 115 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Friday December 12
Here is the full list of 58 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Outpacing Tradition: The Digital Shift in Australia’s Thoroughbred Sales
For more than a century, Australia’s thoroughbred sales revolved around polished auction rings, bustling sale grounds, and agents hunting for future champions.
Zoustar 4YO Secures Stradbroke Start
There were three stakes races at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but strangely, the richest race on the card carries no Black Type, but offers something far more valuable as the winner of the $300,000 The Gateway (1400m) earns a golden ticket into the $3million Group I BRC Stradbroke Handicap in 2026.
Kiwi Slot Decisions Coming
With NZB Kiwi favourite Well Written confirmed to run in the Entain/TAB NZ slot in New Zealand’s richest race, attention is now being focused on decisions around other prominent candidates for the $4 million March 7 feature.
More Stakes Success for Storyville
The Grant and Alana Williams bred and trained Storyville led all the way in a bold change of tactics from champion hoop Willie Pike, which paid off brilliantly when the classy daughter of Overshare was able to hold off all challengers and post the fourth stakes win of her career in the Listed Starstruck Classic.
Breeding To Win – 2025 $2million The G2 Ingham
A huge field lines up for a great rendition of the $2million G2 Ingham, and I'm going with an upset result and a trifecta that might pay for some Christmas treats!
Inglis Nursery Sale Mail - From $1.2million to $1250
The $400,000 Inglis Nursery RL (1000m) is run at Randwick on Saturday with a field of 11 accepting for a race just for 2YOs offered through Inglis sales with the highest priced runner a colt by Wootton Bassett (GB).
Debut Winner for Alabama Express on Target for Karaka Million
Wexford Stables’ exciting juvenile filly Dashing Dixie is TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) bound following her debut victory at Te Rapa on Saturday.
G1 Doncaster Plan for Rising Star Miler Yorkshire
A $575,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Newgate Farm for PR Funds, Snitzel gelding Yorskhire took another leap forward at Randwick on Saturday when taking out the $2million Group II ATC The Ingham (1600m) earning automatic entry for next year’s Group I ATC Doncaster Mile.