From 1995 until 2005 only two stallions shared top honours as Champion Australian Sire and they were Danehill (9 titles) and Zabeel (2 titles), but since then the top slot has been a revolving door for our leading stallions as you can see in the list below.
Champion Australian Sires 1995 - 2016 (Courtesy Arion)
Redoute's Choice, Encosta de Lago and Fastnet Rock were all tipped to enjoy long reigns at the top and have in fact won more than one title, but their successes have been interspersed with victories for Flying Spur, Exceed and Excel, Lonhro and Street Cry (IRE).
There is no current stallion with the all-powerful dominance of a Danehill, who could get Group I winners over all distances and of all ages, and who came on the scene at a time when the domestic broodmare population was ripe for upgrading.
As we emerged from the Star Kingdom (IRE) era, Danehill was the right man in the right place and his influence is as powerful today through his myriad sons and grand-sons as it was in 1995.
The modern era has a selection of top class sires all pretty much of a level pegging and when the stars align for one of them they ascend to become our Champion Sire.
The big question is who will be next?
Snitzel has to be a huge chance to repeat his success given his numerical
advantage with a new season two year-old crop of 171 to run for him ahead of
his 175 three year-olds and 185 four year-olds.
Fastnet Rock could easily have another title in him and has 123 two year-olds, 159 three year-olds and 163 four year-olds.
Sebring has been hovering in the Top 10 for the past three seasons and could be on the cusp of something better with 149 two year-olds, 178 three year-olds and 157 four year-olds.
I Am Invincible is another sire on the move given the success he has achieved so far has all come from his horses bred at an $11,000 fee.
His new season two year-olds are his first horses bred from a higher fee, so if better mares equate to even slightly better offspring, then I Am Invincible has the potential to take a Champion Australian Sire title one day soon.
With 153 two year-olds, 136 three year-olds and 109 four year-olds, I Am Invincible probably hasn't quite got the numbers to do it next year, but the smart money will be on him to win a title before 2020.
Redoute's Choice, Encosta de Lago and Fastnet Rock were all tipped to enjoy long reigns at the top and have in fact won more than one title, but their successes have been interspersed with victories for Flying Spur, Exceed and Excel, Lonhro and Street Cry (IRE).
There is no current stallion with the all-powerful dominance of a Danehill, who could get Group I winners over all distances and of all ages, and who came on the scene at a time when the domestic broodmare population was ripe for upgrading.
As we emerged from the Star Kingdom (IRE) era, Danehill was the right man in the right place and his influence is as powerful today through his myriad sons and grand-sons as it was in 1995.
The modern era has a selection of top class sires all pretty much of a level pegging and when the stars align for one of them they ascend to become our Champion Sire.
The big question is who will be next?
Snitzel has to be a huge chance to repeat his success given his numerical
advantage with a new season two year-old crop of 171 to run for him ahead of
his 175 three year-olds and 185 four year-olds.Fastnet Rock could easily have another title in him and has 123 two year-olds, 159 three year-olds and 163 four year-olds.
Sebring has been hovering in the Top 10 for the past three seasons and could be on the cusp of something better with 149 two year-olds, 178 three year-olds and 157 four year-olds.
I Am Invincible is another sire on the move given the success he has achieved so far has all come from his horses bred at an $11,000 fee.
His new season two year-olds are his first horses bred from a higher fee, so if better mares equate to even slightly better offspring, then I Am Invincible has the potential to take a Champion Australian Sire title one day soon.
With 153 two year-olds, 136 three year-olds and 109 four year-olds, I Am Invincible probably hasn't quite got the numbers to do it next year, but the smart money will be on him to win a title before 2020.
