Australia’s Most Expensive Sires – Who Were the Most Popular?

We’ve looked at the most popular sires for 2022, so now we’re taking a look at the most expensive and that list starts with Extreme Choice and I Am Invincible and includes an outstanding sire that has been sadly prematurely retired from service.

Extreme Choice is Newgate Farm’s young super sire, who recently added a new Group I winner to his tally in Espiona.

He has a SW to runner strike rate of close to 14% which is outstanding given his limited fertility given he only has 100 foals from his first three crops to race and two of those crops were bred at a fee of $22,000.

Extreme Choice had a belated start to the season due to colic, but did his best after that and his total of 88 mares includes 28 covered early this year to Northern Hemisphere time.

It was business as usual for I Am Invincible, who has dominated on the racetrack and in the sale ring this year and still looks value at $247,500 in context of his achievements and the same can be said of Snitzel.

These sires might be expensive, but worth every penny.

Zoustar is a good deal younger than the previous two mentioned and is the big gun on the rise and both racetrack and sale ring vindicate his increase to $198,000 up from $154,000.

Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) and Stay Inside (Extreme Choice) were the two highest priced first season horses and also the two most popular.

The sire of last week’s Hong Kong Derby winner Voyage Bubble, Deep Field was interesting for the wrong reasons. He has always been a big book king with strong fertility, but hit a big hurdle last spring and has been retired from service in his prime at age 13.

Of the 69 mares he covered last year only six got in foal and that was early in the season and it later became apparent he was unable to get any mares in foal at all.

Henry Field confirmed that it is rare for a stallion to completely lose fertility, but it can sadly happen and as a result Deep Field will be consigned to retirement at Newgate Farm.

Deep Field has two sons at stud with Cosmic Force (oldest are yearlings) covering 145 mares at Newgate at a fee of $11,000, while Portland Sky (first season) covered 105 at Widden Stud at a fee of $27,500.

Darley veteran Lonhro has also been retired from active service with Darley announcing the news today. REad more about the legacy he leaves at Darley. 

Most Expensive Sires - Fees $55,000 and Above