Can Zoustar take the lead in the Sires’ Premiership this weekend?

Cover image courtesy of Widden Stud

Unchanged at $275,000 inc GST, Zoustar headlines the Widden Stud fee announcements that were released early on Thursday morning.

As of Thursday, Zoustar is second on the Australian Sires’ Premiership with progeny earnings of $20.7 million, just behind Pride Of Dubai who sits on $21.2 million. On Saturday, Zoustar has five runners in stakes races led by Climbing Star (NZ) and 3-year-old filly She’s Got Pizzazz in the $1 million G1 Robert Sangster Stakes. Phenom runs in the G1 Australasian Oaks, Miss Aria runs in the G2 Queen Of The South Stakes, and 3-year-old filly Zoubaby runs in the Listed Mick Dittman Stakes.

Pride Of Dubai isn’t out of the running either with Talisay in the G2 Queen Of The South Stakes, Dubai Focus in the G3 Chairman’s Stakes, and 3-year-old filly Pride To Follow in the Listed Mick Dittman Stakes.

And there is the Brisbane carnival still to come with plenty of prizemoney on offer.

“We are aware of the gap and are upbeat about it. Zoustar is a sire who continues to reach new heights. Last year, he broke the record for the most winners in a season, and he’s leading on so many other parameters,” said Widden Stud’s Matt Comerford.

“He’s very close to leading the Australian Sires’ Premiership and his trajectory demonstrates that he can achieve that in a very competitive market. He’s been Champion First Season Sire, Champion Sire Of 3YOs, and this will be another very big honour that he can take on going forward.

“He’s an excitement machine and those people who have used him, and continue to use him, have enjoyed great results. He’s had good results in the sales market and held a strong overall average. And now he has a number of good sons going to stud, like Zousain, Ozzmosis, and Schwarz, so there a strong desire for him to succeed in that realm too.”

Zoustar, who retired to stud in 2014 after winning the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and G1 Golden Rose at three, and the G2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes at two, has eight Southern Hemisphere crops and four Northern Hemisphere crops. From those, he has sired 65 stakes winners led by 10 Group 1 winners.

Widden providing value in the market

A high priority at Widden is offering more affordable value to budget-conscious breeders and this theme runs through all their announcements with none of their 20 stallions having a raise in 2025.

“We made a very conscious decision to look after breeders at all parts of the market and our whole roster reflects that. We are aware of the drop-off in the lower part of the sales market, and the desire to keep our roster in line with the market to ensure strong usability is important to us,” said Comerford.

“Our big focus is ensuring that breeders can access our stallions and can reap the rewards down the line. If you look at the sale results this season for Portland Sky, Written By, and Zousain, all off sub-$30,000 fees, they’ve all done a good job for our clients.”

Zousain, a son of Zoustar, will stand at $27,500 inc GST in 2025 and averaged $103,000 across all the sales so far in 2025, with a top price of $280,000, while fellow proven sire Written By, who will stand at $22,000 inc GST, averaged $93,000 with a top price of $260,000.

“Nothing went up, all our stallions stayed the same or went down. We are trying to invest in long term support of our clients and for breeders, and not raising our fees is a sign of that. It also reflects what breeders are telling us. We have listened to feedback and taken those opinions on board as we set our fees. We want to work with breeders to tailor packages to suit them.

“We have great depth to our roster. Just look at Rebel Dane, Supido, and Gold Standard, who all have their biggest crops coming through now. They are all great value for what they’ve done from the start.”

Rebel Dane, standing for $8800 inc GST in 2025, has his largest crop of 74 yearlings born in 2023, and sired G1 Golden Slipper winner Fireburn and another stakes winner in his first two crops numbering only 51 foals. He had just 15 foals in his next two crops.

Supido, reduced to $9900 in GST in 2025, also has his biggest crop being his 2023 born yearlings with 109 live foals that year. He has sired two stakes winners from his first 128 runners.

Victorian-based Gold Standard, shifts down to $5500 inc GST, and he sired G1 JJ Atkins Plate winner Sheza Belter with his first crop of 42 foals, and his current crop of yearlings numbers 92 foals, his biggest crop to date.

Gallery: Some of Widden Stud's stallions standing for value fees in 2025

Two exciting young sprinters added to the roster

With Zoustar achieving so much as a fast sprinter, it makes sense that Widden Stud have been looking for more speed horses, and the announcements of Cogburn (USA) and Southport Tycoon fit the bill. “We’ve dived back into the shuttle market with Cogburn. Bringing a fast American turf sprinter to Australia is hugely appealing,” said Comerford.

“We were fortunate to get quite a few Aussie eyes on the horse during the sales season at the end of last year over there, and he’s been incredibly well-received. He’s a good looking individual who has speed to suit our market. The commercial element is positive, and we think he’s great value at the price. He’s shown great fertility in his first Northern Hemisphere season at WinStar.”

Cogburn won the G1 Jaipur Stakes in record time and is a son of young sire Not This Time (USA) who has sired 46 stakes winners to date, and his fee for 2025 has been set at US$175,000, an increase of US$25,000 on last year’s fee. Cogburn will stand his first season at Widden at $27,500 inc GST.

Dual Group 1 winner Southport Tycoon joins the Widden Stud roster at an introductory fee of $38,500 inc GST. “He’s a huge coup for our Victorian farm. It’s hard to deny the incredible start that Ole Kirk has had this season, and the similarities between Ole Kirk and Southport Tycoon are obvious.”

Gallery: Stallions who are new to Widden Stud in 2025

Both sons of proven sire Written Tycoon, Ole Kirk won the G1 Golden Rose and G1 Caulfield Guineas, and Southport Tycoon won the G1 Australian Guineas and G1 Manikato Stakes. “It’s hard to deny the profile of Southport Tycoon. He has the flexibility and versatility of Written Tycoon to win a big sprint and a Guineas, and he’s good value.”

Some young guns about to fire

On the Widden roster are several young sires with yearlings, weanlings, or about to have their first foals. “There’s plenty of upside across the roster. Portland Sky’s first yearlings sold well. Jacqinot and Bruckner are about to have their first weanlings go to sale. King Colorado is an exciting prospect and has been afforded a great start. We look forward to his first foals.”

Gallery: Widden Stud-based stallions with young stock about to run

Bruckner, who ran second to Home Affairs in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, has weanlings on the ground. He will stand for $9900 inc GST in 2025. “He represents great value when you look at how well Home Affairs did in the market.”

G1 CF Orr Stakes and G1 Golden Rose winner Jacquinot has a slight reduction to $24,200 inc GST for his third season, while Portland Sky’s first crop averaged $84,000 at the sales off a $27,500 fee with a top price of $320,000 and he’ll stand at $16,500 inc GST in 2025.

King Colorado, a Group 1-winning son of Kingman (GB), will stand for an unchanged $16,500 for his second season.

Sires of juvenile winners

In a market that values juvenile winners, Widden Stud have four stallions whose first crop are 2-year-olds this year, but they aren’t the ones who Comerford noted. “Interestingly, both Trapeze Artist and Written By have had Group 1-placed 2-year-olds this season.”

Of the first season sires, Dirty Work has started best with R. Listed Magic Millions Perth 2YO Classic winner Do I Feel Lucky and two other winners. Anders has four winners, and Doubtland has three. Russian Camelot (Ire), as a Derby winner, isn’t expected to show much yet but he’s had several interesting runners at the trials.

Gallery: Widden Stud-based stallions whose first crop will be 2-year-olds in the 2025/26 racing season

“Dirty Work has started well. He’s another son of Written Tycoon doing a good job from minimal runners, whose progeny will only get better.” He will stand at $13,200 inc GST, unchanged from last year.

“Anders is starting to get more representation, and all four of them sold well from good value fees, which is encouraging.” Anders drops to $13,200 inc GST, and Doubtland stays at $13,200 inc GST. Russian Camelot drops to $16,500 inc GST.

Getting a young mare a good start

Two of Widden’s older proven horses, Nicconi and Star Witness, are priced to provide breeders with a value place to give a young mare a strong start to her career. Nicconi has 30 stakes winners led by Champion Sprinter Nature Strip and his fee drops to $13,200 inc GST for 2025.

Gallery: Some of the older, proven stallions at value fees on the Widden Stud roster

“Nicconi just broken $100 million in progeny prizemoney earnings with two new stakes winners this month. He’s doing the right thing, and he’s an unbelievable producer who also sold well for an older sire. His fee provides incredible value for a proven stallion, with a brilliant winners to runners percentage. He’s a great starter option for a young mare.”

Star Witness has sired 25 stakes winners led by Group 1 winner Global Glamour, and recently sired $1 million Victoria Sprint winning 3-year-old filly El Morzillo. “Star Witness is another sire who will set up a maiden mare. El Morzillo won a million dollar race recently and looks promising.”

Table: Widden Stud's 2025 stallion roster in New South Wales

Table: Widden Stud's 2025 stallion roster in Victoria