There’s a good battle going to decide the leading first season sire by Australian winners and with just seven days of the season to run Farnan is laying down the gauntlet to the long time division leader Ole Kirk.
Vinery Stud’s Ole kirk has been setting the pace out in front on 13 winners and then on Thursday Kia Ora Stud's Farnan drew level when the Luke Fernie trained Romance Calling broke her maiden at Northam.
The only juvenile in the 1300m maiden, she scored by half a length at her third start.
Neither Farnan or Ole Kirk have runners on Friday, but the battle will resume again on Saturday when both sires have maidens entered in metro races that can add to their tally.
It’s no surprise to see Ole Kirk and Farnan in front of of their rivals given they were both Champion Colts of their generation, Ole Kirk at three after winning the G1 Golden Rose and Caulfield Guinesas, while Farnan was Champion 2YO Colt with his Golden Slipper win the highlight.
Both colts are by champion sires, Ole Kirk by Written Tycoon and Farnan by Not a Single Doubt and both have strong female families, particularly Ole Kirk, whose dam is a sister to Black Caviar.
Both stallions spent their first four seasons at a fee of $55,000 and now both have had an increase, Ole Kirk to $99,000 and Farnan to $77,000.
Identifying successful stallions is rarely as predictable as these two stallions have made it appear and we can all name horses of similar prolife that have drawn an utter blank, however these guys couldn’t have done much more at this point in time.
Fast forward 12 months and what will we see?
Will Wootton Bassett (GB) have rounded them up and gone straight past or will this Aussie bred duo continue to set the pace? All will be revealed.