What Does it Cost to Breed a Group I Winner?

Tara Madgwick - Sunday July 7

Whether you are a commercial breeder or hobbyist with a handful of mares the dream to breed a Group I winner is something everyone shares, so we’ve gone through all the Australian Group I winners this season that were conceived in Australia to see what it cost in terms of fee to produce these stars of the turf.

Pride of Dubai produced two absolutely outstanding mares from his very first crop and stands at a fee of $22,000 this spring.

The first thing we notice is that good horses aren’t confined to being sired by just the obvious expensive stallions and of the 39 G1 winners, 15 of them were sired by stallions that stood for less than $40,000 in the year they were conceived with $2,200 the lowest service fee and that was for Group I MRC Oakleigh Plate winner Queman’s sire Mint Lane (USA).

Another interesting finding is that 17 of the G1 winners were conceived in the first season at stud for their sire and not all were expensive ranging in price from Trapeze Artist at $88,000 and The Autumn Sun at $77,000 down to $11,000 for a quartet of sires Prized Icon, Royal Meeting (IRE), Tassort and Overshare.

For a lot of stallions their first book of mares is the best they ever cover and any success that comes from it can take years to flow through with Pride of Dubai a good example.

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Also worth noting Written Tycoon has stood in three states and for a variety of farms over many years, but the rising 22yo was at Woodside Park in Victoria when Southport Tycoon was conceived and at Arrowfield when Lady of Camelot came into being. The first of his Yulong bred stock will be racing next season.

Australian G1 Winners Conceived in Australia 2023/2024

Sorted by fee at conception from most expensive to least expensive with the first season horses first. 

G1 Winner

Sire

Fee at Conception

Farm

2024 Fee

Griff

Trapeze Artist

$88,000 first

Widden

$55,000

Autumn Angel

The Autumn Sun

$77,000 first

Arrowfield

$66,000

Vibrant Sun

The Autumn Sun

$77,000 first

Arrowfield

$66,000

Coco Sun

The Autumn Sun

$77,000 first

Arrowfield

$66,000

Pride Of Jenni

Pride Of Dubai

$55,000 first

Coolmore

$22,000

Bella Nipotina

Pride Of Dubai

$55,000 first

Coolmore

$22,000

Broadsiding

Too Darn Hot (GB)

$44,000 first

Darley

NA

Attrition

Churchill (IRE)

$27500 first

Coolmore

$19,800

Magic Time

Hellbent

$27500 first

Yarraman Park

$38,500

Benedetta

Hellbent

$27500 first

Yarraman Park

$38,500

Tom Kitten

Harry Angel (IRE)

$22000 first

Darley

$38,500

Socks Nation

Sioux Nation (USA)

$17,600 first

Swettenham Stud

NA

Veight

Grunt (NZ)

$13,750 first

Yulong

$22,000

Tropical Squall

Prized Icon

$11,000 first

Kooringal Stud

$8,800

Hayasugi

Royal Meeting (IRE)

$11,000 first

Lovatsville (Leneva)

$22,000

Manaal

Tassort

$11,000 first

Newgate

$38,500

Lady Laguna

Overshare

$11,000 first

Widden (Spendthrift)

$5,500

Ozzmosis

Zoustar

$154,000

Widden

$275,000

Joliestar

Zoustar

$154,000

Widden

$275,000

Rediener

Redoute's Choice

$137,500

Arrowfield

Deceased

Imperatriz

I Am Invincible

$110,000

Yarraman Park

$275,000

Southport Tycoon

Written Tycoon

$110,000

Yulong (Woodside)

Private

Cylinder

Exceed And Excel

$88,000

Darley

Retired

Lady Of Camelot

Written Tycoon

$77,000

Yulong (Arrowfield)

Private

Militarize

Dundeel (NZ)

$66,000

Arrowfield

$88,000

Celestial Legend

Dundeel NZ)

$66,000

Arrowfield

$88,000

Riff Rocket

American Pharoah (USA)

$66,000

Coolmore

NA

Fangirl

Sebring

$66,000

Widden

Deceased

Zougotcha

Zoustar

$60,500

Widden

$275,000

Climbing Star

Zoustar

$60,500

Widden

$275,000

Think It Over

So You Think (NZ)

$55,000

Coolmore

$77,000

Alligator Blood

All Too Hard

$55,000

Vinery

$38,500

Overpass

Vancouver

$49,500

Coolmore/ Woodside Park

$9,900

Zapateo

Brazen Beau

$44,000

Darley

$33,000

Dom To Shoot

Shooting To Win

$38,500

Darley / Oakland Park Stud

$11,000

Stefi Magnetica

All Too Hard

$27,500

Vinery

$38,500

Chain Of Lightning

Fighting Sun

$13,750

Sun Stud

Deceased

Bustler

Playing God

$11,000

Darling View Tbreds

$49,500

Queman

Mint Lane (USA)

$2,200

Willow Grove Stud

Retired

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