Do Early Winners Equate to Long Term Stud Success?

Tara Madgwick - Thursday June 26

As we move towards the end of the racing season, attention invariably focuses on first season sires and who will be the leader of the cohort by winners and it’s a close run race this year, but does any of it matter in the grand scheme of things?

This year we have what looks to be a crop of young sires that could potentially produce some stallions with real longevity to their stud careers.

Australian bred sires Ole Kirk and Farnan are doing exactly what their supporters would have hoped to see and internationally proven G1 sire Wootton Bassett (GB) is likewise living up to expectation.

Click for the fully interactive table to find out more about these sires.

Ole Kirk is the leader by earnings, winners and also by stakes-winners with four to his credit, while Cool Aza Beel and Lucky Vega (IRE) have also made their presence felt with each coming up with a star 2YO.

The former has hit the heights with Group I winner Cool Archie and the latter with $1.4million earner Within the Law, who was beaten a neck when second in the Group I ATC Champagne Stakes.

Ole Kirk has had a fee increase up to $99,000 for this spring at Vinery Stud.

The big three Ole Kirk, Farnan and Wootton Bassett (GB) look set to add plenty of interest to the last month of the racing season as their late season progeny step out and there are plenty to come judging by the trial results in recent weeks.

Farnan has also had a fee increase up to $77,000 a Kia Ora Stud.

We’ve taken a look back through the leading Australian first season sires by winners over the past 10 years to see if that early flurry of racetrack success translates into something more meaningful.

Will Wootton Bassett do a Medaglia D'Oro?

Interesting reading and food for thought! Particularly back 10 years to 2014 when I Am Invincible was champion first season sire by winners and earnings with a proven shuttler Medaglia D’Oro (USA) also in the mix with his first Australian crop.

Medaglia D’Oro did not get a stakes-winner in that year, but 12 months on he finished ahead of I Am Invincible to be Champion Second Season Sire and his second Aussie crop produced the Golden Slipper winner Vancouver.

2024

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Too Darn Hot (GB)

41

12 (4)

$275,000

Tassort

28

10 (3)

$38,500

Zousain

36

10 (1)

$27,500

2023

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Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Brave Smash (Jpn)

30

11 (1)

$27,500

Harry Angel  (IRE)

23

9 (3)

$66,000

Trapeze Artist

36

9

$33,000

2022

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Russian Revolution

47

15 (2)

$33,000

Hellbent

41

11

$38,500

The Mission

20

10

NA

2021

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Capitalist

61

20 (4)

$44,000

Star Turn

41

19 (1)

$16,500

Winning Rupert

31

12

$6,600

2020

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Spill the Beans

45

13

Deceased

Headwater

40

13 (1)

$6,600

Pride of Dubai

48

11 (1)

$27,500

2019

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Better than Ready

47

23 (3)

$27,500

Deep Field

57

21 (2)

Pensioned

Rubick

51

15 (1)

Sold to China

2018

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Spirit of Boom

52

18 (5)

$38,500

Zoustar

34

10 (3)

$275,000

Sizzling

45

9

$5,500

2017

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Your Song

30

11 (1)

$5,500

All Too Hard

47

10 (1)

$27,500

Golden Archer

25

8

Deceased

2016

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Love Conquers All

22

8

$5,940

Sidereus

32

8

NA

Smart Missile

49

7

$13,200

2015

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

Rothesay

41

14

Deceased

Beneteau

27

12 (2)

Deceased

Reward for Effort

29

9

Deceased

2014

Sire

Runners

Winners (SW)

2025 Fee

I Am Invincible

45

15 (3)

$220,000

Medaglia D’Oro (USA)

19

8

US$75,000

Nicconi

32

8

$13,200

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