The Snitzel Legacy

A four time Champion Australian Sire in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, Snitzel was an extremely fertile sire that covered 3043 mares in 19 seasons at stud in Australia and attracted 100 plus books in every year since 2010, so his passing will cast shockwaves through the breeding industry.

In progeny performance terms, Snitzel was not an old stallion slipping quietly into the twilight, he was firing on all cylinders.

He will be crowned Champion 2YO Sire 2024/225 at the end of this season with some 20 2YO winners to his credit in Australia and New Zealand including Group I winning juveniles on both sides of the the Tasman in Marhoona (Golden Slipper) and Return to Conquer (Sistema Stakes).

He has also sired nine stakes-winning 3YO’s this season and they are headed by triple Group I winning filly Lady Shenandoah, who may ultimately end up being his crowning achievement, and the $1.5million colt Switzerland, who won the Group I VRC Coolmore stud Stakes and retires to Coolmore this spring.

With all of this going on at the track, is it any wonder his yearlings sold for record prices in 2025 with 27 yearlings at Magic Millions selling at an average $765,556 and 31 selling at Inglis Easter at an average $718,387.

He had 11 yearlings sell for $1million in 2025 listed below and if you want to see the full sales breakdown year by year for Snitzel’s entire career, CLICK HERE.

Snitzel has 113 rising 2YO’s and 105 weanlings with his final book of 114 mares to produce his very last crop of foals later this spring.

Some of the obvious standout mares due to foal to Snitzel this spring are young G1 winners such as Coolangatta and Graceful Girl along with the dams of Lady Shenandoah and Switzerland.

Snitzel was advertised this spring at a fee of $247,500 and we can assume his book would have been full again, which means there will be around 100 mares floating around now with owners looking to form Plan B.

Phones will be ringing hot at all the big farms as breeders look to rearrange their mating plans, but if you were booked to Snitzel, he’s not an easy horse to find an alternative for.

The only truly comparable horses in terms of sale ring appeal and overall profile are Zoustar ($275,000) and I Am Invincible ($220,000), with shuttle stallions Wootton Bassett (GB) ($385,000) and Too Darn Hot (GB) ($275,000) also in that top pricing echelon, while Extreme Choice ($330,000) has the stats, but not the fertility to make him a viable option.

Looking further down the price scale you are considering horses like unproven Anamoe in his third season at $110,000, up and comers Ole Kirk ($99,000) and Farnan ($77,000), whose first 2YO’s have hit the ground running, proven duo Dundeel and Toronado (IRE) both at $88,000 and Home Affairs at $82,500, whose first yearlings have sold sensationally well this year.

Snitzel also has a myriad of sons now at stud with over 30 listed on the Australian Studbook and they cover a wide price range from hobby breeding options to the young superstars we hope can take his sireline into the next generation.

Interestingly, Arrowfield, who have a long record of success in standing sons of their champion sires do not have one on their roster.

Below is a list featuring a selection of Snitzel sons at stud listed by price.