Australia’s Busiest Fourth Crop Sires 2023

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday March 12

Our analysis of Australian Studbook covering statistics for 2023 continues with a look at a very interesting group of sires whose oldest progeny are two year-olds, so when fees were announced last year they did not have runners, but as the spring unfolded things were changing rapidly and for some that meant a bonanza in terms of mare bookings.

Manaal put Tassort on the map - image Steve Hart

Four of the top six busiest sires in all of Australia fit the category with Tassort (232) topping the overall list while Alabama Express (206), Pierata (191) and Zousain (189) were not far behind.

Shangri La Express won the $1million Golden Gift for Alabama Express - image Steve Hart

The first three all registered spring stakes-winners with Tassort siring Manaal to win the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes, Alabama Express sired Karavas to win the Group III VRC Ottawa Stakes and Shangri La Express to win the Golden Gift, while Pierata had Coleman win the Listed MRC Debutant Stakes.

Coleman has had three starts for two stakes wins - image Grant Courtney

Zousain has taken a little longer to get going, but strong results at the yearling sales and good feedback from trainers ensured he too was heavily punted as a potential star sire on the rise.

Advertisement

Fourth Crop Sires by Coverings

Sire

Mares 2023

2022

2021

2020

2023 Fee

Farm

Tassort (AUS) 2016

232

132

181

137

$11,000

Newgate Farm , NSW

Alabama Express (AUS) 2016

206

78

99

141

$22,000

Yulong Stud, Vic

Pierata (AUS) 2014

191

139

143

169

$44,000

Yulong Stud, Vic

Zousain (AUS) 2015

189

171

214

188

$22,000

Widden Stud, NSW

Yes Yes Yes (AUS) 2016

149

164

175

205

$33,000

Coolmore Australia, NSW

I Am Immortal (AUS) 2016

121

100

96

116

$13,750

Swettenham Stud, Vic

Too Darn Hot (GB) 2016

120

132

131

130

$44,000

Godolphin Australia, NSW

Cosmic Force (AUS) 2016

110

145

167

146

$11,000

Newgate Farm, NSW

Exceedance (AUS) 2016

103

125

155

142

$33,000

Vinery Stud, NSW

Blue Point (IRE) 2014

101

115

138

128

$44,000

Godolphin Australia, Vic

Dubious (AUS) 2016

88

143

112

162

$15,400

Kitchwin Hills, NSW

Castelvecchio (AUS) 2016

86

89

106

142

$27,500

Arrowfield Stud, NSW

D'Argento (AUS) 2014

78

147

140

151

$16,500

Bowness Stud, NSW

Brutal (NZ) 2015

69

122

154

177

$22,000

Newgate Farm, NSW

Royal Meeting (IRE) 2016

66

105

106

89

$11,000

Leneva Park, Vic

Microphone (AUS) 2016

59

64

91

118

$33,000

Godolphin Australia, NSW

So here we are come the autumn and for those breeders who have invested in these sires their stats are looking like this for Southern Hemisphere bred runners only in all countries and they are sorted by number of winners with sires that have produced a stakes-winner highlighted.

Sire

Runners

Winners

SW

SP

Alabama Express (AUS) 2016

12

6

1

4

Tassort (AUS) 2016

14

5

1

1

Zousain (AUS) 2015

14

5

0

1

Brutal (NZ) 2015

10

4

0

0

Cosmic Force (AUS) 2016

12

4

0

3

Too Darn Hot (GB) 2016

11

4

0

3

Exceedance (AUS) 2016

10

3

1

0

Dubious (AUS) 2016

12

2

0

0

I Am Immortal (AUS) 2016

6

2

0

0

Royal Meeting (IRE) 2016

6

1

1

0

Pierata (AUS) 2014

16

1

1

3

Blue Point (IRE) 2014

20

1

0

3

D'Argento (AUS) 2014

3

1

0

1

Microphone (AUS) 2016

11

1

0

1

Yes Yes Yes (AUS) 2016

12

0

0

2

Castelvecchio (AUS) 2016

7

0

0

0

Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Winner La Crique Retired to Stud
La Crique, arguably the most consistent horse in Australasian racing, has been retired.
Christmas Stakes Catalogue Updates Aplenty
The last week of Christmas racing has been as busy as usual and thrown up plenty of black type updates, including five new stakes winners, for upcoming yearling sale.
Angela Jones Headed for Ellerslie
Leading Queensland rider Angela Jones will make her New Zealand debut at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day where she will partner the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-prepared mare Smart Love in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m).
New Year Brings New Challenges in NZB Filly of the Year Series
With the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) moving five weeks earlier to February this year, summer races over 2000 metres have taken on greater importance in the NZB Filly of the Year Series – starting with the $270,000 Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
Zoustar 3YO Secures a Start in $3million Sunlight
A Breednet ‘One to Watch’ when winning on debut at Warwick Farm on December 3, Zoustar gelding Ice Kool confirmed his potential winning at Randwick last Saturday and his trainer David Pfieffer now has eyes on the Gold Coast.
Ancient Spirit on His Way for White Robe Lodge
Last Friday was a bittersweet day for White Robe Lodge.
Juvenile Trial Watch - Randwick
There were three heats for juveniles at the Randwick trials on Tuesday morning and while the Ciaron Maher trained Magic Millions contender Unit Five was a scratching there were still some interesting winners including the half-brother to Tempted and a million dollar filly by Home Affairs.
Rich Hill Bred Ace High Mare Chasing G2 Rich Hill Mile
Gifted four-year-old She’s A Dealer is in the right order to make a successful challenge for higher honours on New Year’s Day.
The Family You Want a Part Of
A foal that was in the running for Breednet Favourite Foal of 2009 and is the one and only horse in Australia by infamous Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem has spawned a family that is becoming commercial gold.
Pedigree Pointers – Karaka 2026
The 2026 NZB National Yearling Sales (January 25-29) offers buyers the cream of the New Zealand crop and in the weeks leading up to the sale we’ll go looking for pedigrees of interest for a myriad of reasons.