At the end of last season the leading first crop sires list looked like this with several of the sires on it awarded substantial fee increases because of it and others were given reductions also because of it and now here we are with only two Group I races left this Saturday at Caulfield to finish the spring carnival and the state of play now looks like this.
First Season Sires by Earnings 2023/2024
Second Season Sires by Earnings at 11/11/2024
The most significant mover has been Arrowfield Stud’s Castelvecchio, who finished last season in 21st place with just two winners and as a result his fee was dropped to $22,000 from a starting point of $33,000 when he went to stud in 2020.
The dual Group I winning son of Dundeel is poised to take over at the top of the table from Too Darn Hot (GB) as he has two runners in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas this weekend in race favourite Aeliana and well fancied Double Market, who cast off maiden status last start with a win in the Group II MVRC Fillies Classic.
Too Darn Hot will also be represented in the race by his Group winning filly Too Darn Lizzie, so could possibly keep the lead if she can take the win.
Both Castelvecchio and Too Darn Hot have sired Group I winners this spring in El Castello (Spring Champion Stakes) and Broadsiding (Golden Rose), while Alabama Express has also hit that milestone with his daughter Treasurethe Moment winning the VRC Oaks.
