Cover image courtesy of Vinery Stud
Home Affairs was the most popular stallion in 2024, covering 225 mares at a fee of $82,500 inc GST, and he was one of five stallions who covered more than 200 mares this season. The others are Alabama Express (223), while Shinzo, Zousain and Tassort all covered 218 mares in 2024. However selecting a stallion is about value too, and the change in fee along with the change in book size shows whether breeders feel a horse is good value.
The heavy hitters
Among the 120 most popular stallions in Australia, there is a very select group of nine horses who served more mares in 2024 than they did in 2023 and had a fee increase at the same time.
| Royal Meeting (Ire) | 128 | 67 | $ 22,000 | $ 11,000 | 61 | $ 11,000 | Lovatsville |
| Zoustar | 188 | 155 | $ 275,000 | $ 220,000 | 33 | $ 55,000 | Widden Stud |
| Kobayashi | 135 | 104 | $ 15,000 | $ 8,800 | 31 | $ 6,200 | Aquis Farm |
| Zousain | 218 | 189 | $ 27,500 | $ 22,000 | 29 | $ 5,500 | Widden Stud |
| Harry Angel (Ire) | 131 | 119 | $ 38,500 | $ 33,000 | 12 | $ 5,500 | Godolphin |
| Pierata | 199 | 191 | $ 66,000 | $ 44,000 | 8 | $ 22,000 | Yulong Stud |
| Wootton Bassett (GB) | 136 | 131 | $ 192,500 | $ 93,500 | 5 | $ 99,000 | Coolmore |
| Ducimus | 81 | 79 | $ 5,500 | $ 4,400 | 2 | $ 1,100 | Mr E Guagliardo |
| Alabama Express | 223 | 222 | $ 55,000 | $ 22,000 | 1 | $ 33,000 | Yulong Stud |
Table: Stallions who increased in fee and covered a larger book in 2024 compared to the 2023 season, fees include GST
Leading the charge is Lovatsville’s Royal Meeting (Ire) who doubled his fee from $11,000 inc GST in 2023 to $22,000 inc GST in 2024, thanks to first crop 2024 G1 Blue Diamond winner Hayasugi. Breeders still felt he was of great value at the increased fee, sending him 128, almost double his book in 2023.
“It’s quite remarkable what he achieved off his small first crop compared to his contemporaries. He was the Champion First Season Sire in Victoria from lesser credential mares and a smaller first book compared to many of the other first-season sires. He’s done it the hard way and to get a Group 1 winner in his first crop was very special. On top of that, his winners-to-runners ratio is equally as impressive, so he definitely deserved a fee increase,” said Lovatsville’s Sam White.
“He also increased his book size in year two based on what breeders had seen from his stock on the ground, and so his performance on the track is befitting of those opinions.” Royal Meeting served 89 mares in his first book at $11,000 inc GST, a fee he stayed at for his first four seasons, with his book size increasing to 106 in his second season and staying static at 103 in his third season.
Royal Meeting (Ire) | Standing at Lovatsville
“Once Hayasugi won, there was a temptation to increase his fee further, but we wanted to support the breeders who had supported him early, and felt it was important to keep him attainable to those original supporters. We saw a number of new eyeballs on the stallion and on the business as a result of Hayasugi. Breeders from the Hunter sent mares south and trainers from different parts of the country paid more attention to him. Mark Newnham has had two impressive trialers up there (in Hong Kong) this week which opens up another market for him.”
Royal Meeting has 10 winners from his first crop, who are currently 3-year-olds, from 24 runners.
“When you have a small first crop and you have a good winners-to-runners ratio, you need to keep being in headlights. He hasn’t had the headstart as some others, but with a number of serious city-class horses, he looks to be versatile. The sireline isn’t a known 2-year-old source. I Am Invincible is a fantastic stallion but he hasn’t had a 2-year-old Group 1 winner in Australia. For Hayasugi to achieve that, I think shows there is more to come for the Royal Meeting.
“Luck is a result of opportunity and belief, and he’s been given one now.”
Widden Stud’s Zoustar and his son Zousain both make the heavy hitters list. Zoustar’s fee increased from $220,000 inc GST to $275,000 inc GST in 2024 and the number of mares he covered increased as well by 33 up to 188 in 2024.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden Stud
“Those two should probably go hand in hand, we increased their fee as they had increased demand in the sales ring based on their success on the track,” said Widden’s Matt Comerford.
“Zoustar went to the equal highest fee in Australia that year and breeders still supported him. What he’s achieved on the track has been a highlight in the last two years, and equally, this has flowed through to the sales. He was the leading sire by average at Easter, which commands a lot of support from agents and breeders, and is clearly reflective of what he does on the track.”
Zoustar was represented by 36 yearlings at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with 27 selling for a gross of $18,720,000, an average of $693,333, and a median of $550,000.
“Coming into the season, he’d had almost his best year with Group 1 winners Ozzmosis, Joliestar, and Zougotcha.” Zoustar has 63 stakes winners, nine at Group 1 level.
“Zousain was always very successful in the sales ring and now that’s carried on in the racetrack. He gets a good consistent horse, in the mould of his father at a lesser fee which creates a lot of support for him.”
“Zousain was always very successful in the sales ring and now that’s carried on in the racetrack. He gets a good consistent horse, in the mould of his father at a lesser fee which creates a lot of support for him.” - Matt Comerford
“He still represents good value even with the fee increase, and his sales so far this year have kept up. We are always looking for the next star and to continue to have metro winners every week is important.” Zousain’s oldest crop is 3-year-olds and he has Group winners Drifting and Amelita from his first crop and Listed Lonhro Plate winner Bellazaine from his current 2-year-olds.
On the list of nine horses that went up in fee and up in book size, Wootton Bassett (GB) had the largest increase in fee, going from $93,500 inc GST in 2023 to $192,500 inc GST in 2024. He marginally increased his book size with five extra mares from 131 to 136 which is a massive result given the size of his fee increase.
Wootton Bassett (GB) | Standing at Coolmore Stud
“We always felt like Wootton Bassett was the right type of horse for this market, and his increase was off the back of his results in Europe where he had four individual Group 1-winning 2-year-olds in 2024. His figures here with his imported older horses and his locally bred 2-year-olds are enormous and he looks like he’ll have a bright future here,” said Coolmore’s Colm Santry.
Wootton Bassett’s first 2-year-old runner in Australia was West Of Swindon who ran second in the Golden Gift on debut. Since then he’s had the winners Pallaton, Gallo Nero, Wodeton, and State Visit. Wodeton and West Of Swindon are now stakes placed, as are Wiltshire Square and Yamashita’s Gold.
A rise in popularity without a fee change
Thirteen stallions had no fee change between 2023 and 2024 but had a rise in popularity serving more mares in 2024 than in 2023.
| Exceedance | 181 | 103 | $ 33,000 | $ 33,000 | 78 | $ - | Vinery Stud |
| Admire Mars (Jpn) | 129 | 72 | $ 22,000 | $ 22,000 | 57 | $ - | Arrowfield Stud |
| Lucky Vega (Ire) | 141 | 91 | $ 16,500 | $ 16,500 | 50 | $ - | Yulong Stud |
| Farnan | 181 | 152 | $ 55,000 | $ 55,000 | 29 | $ - | Kia Ora |
| Ole Kirk | 172 | 146 | $ 55,000 | $ 55,000 | 26 | $ - | Vinery Stud |
| Hellbent | 142 | 124 | $ 38,500 | $ 38,500 | 18 | $ - | Yarraman Park Stud |
| Time To Reign | 71 | 54 | $ 9,900 | $ 9,900 | 17 | $ - | Kingstar Farm |
| Cosmic Force | 126 | 110 | $ 11,000 | $ 11,000 | 16 | $ - | Newgate |
| D'Argento | 93 | 79 | $ 16,500 | $ 16,500 | 14 | $ - | Bowness Stud |
| Anders | 98 | 91 | $ 16,500 | $ 16,500 | 7 | $ - | Widden Stud |
| Toronado (Ire) | 170 | 165 | $ 88,000 | $ 88,000 | 5 | $ - | Swettenham Stud |
| Barbaric | 96 | 91 | $ 8,800 | $ 8,800 | 5 | $ - | Lyndhurst Stud Farm |
| All Too Hard | 117 | 115 | $ 38,500 | $ 38,500 | 2 | $ - | Vinery Stud |
Table: Stallions who remained unchanged in fee between 2023 and 2024 seasons, but saw a growth in book size, fees include GST
Vinery have three of those with Exceedance leading with a massive increase from 103 mares in 2023 to 181 in 2024. Ole Kirk and All Too Hard also increased their workload from the same fee.
“People recognised the positive signs for what was to come with Exceedance. He’d done a fantastic job with his 2-year-olds, and as they were turning three at the start of the breeding season, he had two winners with Brave One and Swiftfalcon, who is subsequently the second favourite for Saturday’s Randwick Guineas. People saw they were training on, and that backed up what we thought of him. It was ideal timing, and breeders supported him well which gives everyone confidence for the future,” said Vinery Stud’s Harry Roach.
Exceedance | Standing at Vinery Stud
G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Exceedance has four stakes winners from his first crop, being Dublin Down, Flyer, Dance To The Boom, and Swiftfalcon.
“Ole Kirk had a nice book as it was, but when he had those impressive first 2-year-old trial winners step out in September, that topped his book off, and then we ended up shutting it off before the Breeders and Gimcrack. The trials were the writing on the wall for breeders who were waiting to see if the suggested promise would show something, and when it did, they were more than happy to jump in.”
Ole Kirk’s ill-fated 2-year-old colt King Kirk won at the first NSW trials of the season, then won the G3 Breeders’ Stakes on debut, while O’ Ole also won at those trials, running second in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes on debut. She’s since won the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Ole Kirk also has Prestige Forever who was second on debut in the Listed VRC TAB 2YO Plate last weekend.
Gallery: Vinery Stud-based stallions who maintained their fee from 2023 to 2024, and increased their book size, standing at Vinery Stud
“All Too Hard is a horse that we feel is probably underrated. For a horse who sired a new Group 1 winner last season, and one who turns up every year with tough stakes winners who keep getting better every year, we feel his book is a reflection of the respect people have for him. He’s an investment sire for young mares going forward as there are not many proven sires standing at his price level,” said Roach.
A fee decrease but increased popularity
Newgate Farm’s Brutal (NZ) went into 2024 with four seasons under his belt and his oldest having just turned three. His fee dropped from $22,000 to $16,500 for 2024, while the number of mares he covered jumped up from 69 to 154.
“He was heading into his fifth season, and we did the fee announcement before Jenni’s Meadow won the Taj Rossi final. People were watching and waiting, then between the fee announcement and the season, Brutal started to make his mark, so breeders jumped aboard at the price,” said Newgate’s Bruce Slade.
Brutal (NZ) | Standing at Newgate Farm
Jenni’s Meadow won the Listed Taj Rossi Final at the end of the 2-year-old season last year, and Brutal’s first crop who are now 3-year-olds also includes G1 Flight Stakes placed Harlem Queen.
“He served big books in his first three seasons but had a typical drop in his fourth, which particularly happens with horses who don’t get naturally early 2-year-olds. Brutal tends to get later season 2-year-olds and now good 3-year-olds. In August for next season, they’ll turn four and will improve again given that time and more distance, so I’m sure we’ll see him getting more results. He’s one of those horses who loves Danehill. He really suits those neater short-coupled Danehill line mares.”
Jenni’s Meadow is out of a Redoute’s Choice mare and Harlem Queen from a Fastnet Rock mare, while The Debut winner Lead Me On is out of Snitzel mare.
“For breeders, if you can find a horse like Brutal who is on the up, the fourth and fifth season can be a way of creating value by finding a horse like him.”
| Brutal (NZ) | 154 | 69 | $ 16,500 | $ 22,000 | 85 | -$ 5,500 | Newgate |
| Pride Of Dubai | 162 | 102 | $ 22,000 | $ 27,500 | 60 | -$ 5,500 | Coolmore |
| King's Legacy | 112 | 68 | $ 22,000 | $ 27,500 | 44 | -$ 5,500 | Coolmore |
| Jonker | 90 | 52 | $ 12,500 | $ 16,500 | 38 | -$ 4,000 | Aquis Farm |
| Home Affairs | 225 | 189 | $ 82,500 | $ 99,000 | 36 | -$ 16,500 | Coolmore |
| Overshare | 69 | 40 | $ 5,500 | $ 8,800 | 29 | -$ 3,300 | Widden Stud Victoria |
| Stay Inside | 178 | 152 | $ 55,000 | $ 77,000 | 26 | -$ 22,000 | Newgate |
| Fierce Impact (Jpn) | 128 | 109 | $ 13,750 | $ 16,500 | 19 | -$ 2,750 | Lovatsville |
| I Am Invincible | 158 | 157 | $ 275,000 | $ 302,500 | 1 | -$ 27,500 | Yarraman Park Stud |
Table: Stallions who has fee reductions from 2023 to 2024 seasons and increased their book size, fees include GST
For Coolmore, whose Pride Of Dubai and King’s Legacy both make this list, the equation is simple. “Over the last 30 years that I’ve been selling nominations in Australia, it’s all about supply and demand. If your horses are priced correctly and you are offering value for money to breeders, you’ll be rewarded (with more mares),” said Santry.
“When the fee drops and the numbers go up, then the horse is priced correctly and the marketplace agrees with the price. All our horses are marketed and priced so the breeder can go to the sales and be successful, you can go to any yearling sale in the world with a Coolmore-sired yearling and know you’ll do well.
Gallery: Coolmore-based stallions whose fee reduction in 2024 saw an increase in book size, standing at Coolmore Stud
“We dropped King’s Legacy’s fee coming into the season before his 2-year-olds ran and then had some nice runners. For Pride Of Dubai, he sired three Group 1 winners and breeders felt that at $20,000, he was good value.”
First season sires, Shinzo leads the way
Of the 120 stallions with the largest books of mares covered in 2024, 22 were first-season sires with G1 Golden Slipper winner Shinzo on top with 218 mares covered at $55,000 inc GST.
“He’s a hell of an individual. We bred him, and we know that’s what the market wants. He was a Champion 2-year-old who won the Golden Slipper, and the market wants horses who will go early and produce the best physical types at the sales. If they look like him, they’ll be great value and breeders agreed,” said Coolmore Colm Santry.
| Shinzo | 218 | $ 55,000 | Coolmore |
| Ozzmosis | 192 | $ 44,000 | Newgate |
| King's Gambit | 175 | $ 22,000 | Newgate |
| Hawaii Five Oh | 173 | $ 16,500 | Vinery Stud |
| Don Corleone | 133 | $ 13,200 | Eureka Stud |
| Native Trail (GB) | 132 | $ 27,500 | Godolphin |
| Cylinder | 124 | $ 44,000 | Godolphin |
| Lofty Strike | 115 | $ 22,000 | Swettenham Stud |
| Panthalassa (Jpn) | 112 | $ 16,500 | Yulong Stud |
| Officiating (USA) | 111 | $ 12,500 | Aquis Farm |
Table: Leading first-season sires for 2024 ranked by book size, fees include GST
Newgate’s G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis was second with 192 mares covered at $44,000 inc GST, and their G2 Roman Consul Stakes winner King’s Gambit came in third with 175 mares covered at $22,000 inc GST.
“Unfortunately we might have had three on this list if Militarize was fertile but he stopped covering in September. We didn’t get much cross-over from his book into Ozzmosis and King’s Gambit as they were already full,” said Slade.
“Ozzmosis and King’s Gambit are naturally commercial horses, with Ozzmosis being a Zoustar who won a Coolmore and King’s Gambit was so high-class and very good looking. Those sorts of horses always book out early. We cap them at 150 for their first season, then adjust as we go along depending on fertility and libido, and we can add more mares later in the season if they are coping with the workload.”
Gallery: Some of the leading first season sires in 2024, based on book size
Vinery Stud’s Hawaii Five Oh was the fourth most popular with 173 mares covered at $16,500.
“Hawaii Five Oh is the easiest stallion we’ve launched in a long time, purely off how good-looking he is. Every inspection we did resulted in a booking. He’s a clone of I Am Invincible and that’s such a good advert for the horse going forward. Physique is so important in the types of horse we are breeding, and people recognise the quality of him,” said Roach.
