The former Stephen Marsh-trained duo Pierrocity and I Am Queen have joined Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young’s Cranbourne stable in the hope of gaining black type.

So much choice and so many things to consider, it’s an interesting exercise and one I’ve undertaken for myself this year with the retirement of my Lonhro mare to a new career at stud.

Twin Hill Stud’s new addition Smart Missile has hit top gear as we head towards the breeding season with eight winners in the past seven days including another impressive two year-old winner on Monday.

Seven days after racing Merchant Navy in the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, Sir Dancealot (by Sir Prancealot) has backed up to take out his first Group race victory in the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket.

Freshman sires ShamExpress (O’Reilly) and Charm Spirit (IRE) (Invincible Spirit) who both stand at Windsor Park Stud continue to make a deep impression with an ever-increasing list of first-crop winners.

A winning double at Sha Tin on Sunday for champion sire Fastnet Rock highlighted his success in Hong Kong this season where he is the leading sire by individual winners.

Aquis Farm have today announced a $1million bonus for breeders sending mares to their new Group I winning sire The Mission this spring.

Newgate Farm’s Foxwedge starred overnight in Ireland when his quality four year-old daughter Urban Fox downed this year’s Epsom Oaks winner Forever Together to win the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh.

Blue Gum Farm’s young sire War posted his first winner at Devonport in Tasmania on Sunday when the promising filly Kwai scored a debut win for the Barry Campbell Stable in the Star Thoroughbreds colours.

Impressive maiden winner Copper Mine took the first step on his journey to a future career in Hong Kong when he blitzed his rivals with a powerful front-running performance over 1200m at Ruakaka on the weekend.

After ten seasons at stud and with little more than a handful of live foals in his last three seasons, Vital Equine (IRE) is in the form of his life.

Wow, you just can’t keep the legend More Than Ready (US) down and what a day he had Stateside on Saturday.

The famed navy and white colours of Australian owner Lloyd Williams were carried to victory overnight in the Group I Irish Derby by lightly raced Camelot colt Latrobe trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by his brother Donnacha.

Following wins in the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes at the Sunshine Coast and the Singapore Airlines Stakes at Doomben, progressive New Zealand three-year-old The Bostonian stamped a highly profitable Queensland trip in Saturday’s Group III Sunshine Coast Guineas.

After going through the 2015 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka with a reserve of just $25,000, Megablast(NZ) (Shinko King) has now earned his connections more than $400,000 in stakes.

By Manhattan Rain from a daughter of his half-brother Redoute’s Choice, Jamaican Rain certainly has an interesting pedigree and a Black Type win to her name after scoring a resounding victory in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Punters were on good terms with themselves when the favourites Dreamforce, Flow and Jungle Edge were fighting out of the finish of Saturday’s Listed Civic Stakes (1350m) then out of the clouds came Jay Ford on the $41 outsider Liapari.

Just over 14 months ago Harper’s Choice finished second to Jon Snow in the Group 1 ATC Austrian Derby and the world looked to be his oyster.

Promising Sizzling two year-old The Fire Trap made it two wins from three starts when taking out the $70,000 Butler McDermott Law Classic at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

We are right on the Akeed Mofeed (GB) bandwagon and here is another reason why – his two-year-old daughter Assertive Play kept her record at a perfect two for two when spacing seven overmatched rivals in the $100,000 SABOIS 2-Y-O Plate (1100m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

Scoring a dazzling debut victory at Caulfield on Saturday was exciting two year-old Tony Nicconi, who is not surprisingly by Widden Stud’s quiet achiever Nicconi.

Australian bred Royal Ascot hero Merchant Navy will be retired from racing without another start and will travel back to Australia as planned to begun the breeding season at Coolmore Australia this spring.

Windsor Park shuttler Charm Spirit (IRE) added a sixth winner to his tally with a debut victory in the UK at Newmarket for two year-old filly Aquarius overnight.

The days are long gone when the tabloids treated a newborn Makybe Diva foal with the same reverence as a royal birth.

Darley’s Epaulette added a fifth Australian winner to his tally on Friday with a Geelong victory for improving gelding Dulette.

New Zealand Bloodstock topped the shortlist at the 2018 Air New Zealand Cargo ExportNZ Awards having achieved finalist status in the Best Large Business category.

Sir Patrick Hogan was acknowledged for his exemplary services to the export sector having been awarded the Exporters’ Champion award at the 2018 Air New Zealand Cargo ExportNZ Awards.

Coolmore’s promising young Scat Daddy son No Nay Never (USA) keeps delivering new winners with a Maisons Laffitte winner on Wednesday bringing his tally to 10 winners from 23 runners making him the leading first season sire in Europe.

Plenty of interesting two-year-old trials around the country in the past week so here are all the placegetters with their breeding and sale information.

Aquis, in response to its Queensland breeders, have secured a stallion that has the speed and commerciality that all Australian breeders are looking for, but also a stallion that will complement the bloodlines that are prevalent in the Queensland broodmare population.

Scheduled to open its doors in 2020 a new property will debut at Karaka with a 120-room hotel under the management of DoubleTree by Hilton.

Windsor Park shuttler Charm Spirit (IRE) sired a winning double at Salisbury in the UK overnight with Oberyn Martin scoring his second victory from just three starts, while Forseti opened his account to be the fifth winner for his promising young sire.

With Royal Ascot out of the way and the last Australian Group I race of the season run and won, we move to the ‘quiet time’ of the year for people involved in the bloodstock world.

It’s been a sensational season for Twin Hills Stud’s Smart Missile with over 100 winners of more than $5million in prizemoney, but there may be even better ahead next season as one of his winners is exciting two year-old Smart Melody, who blitzed her rivals at Canterbury on Wednesday to earn a slot in early markets for the Group I Golden Rose.

The pale blue and lime colours of Steve and Louise Gillard have featured on two winners in two days by I Am Invincible, first carried to victory at Wyong on Tuesday aboard Salsa Man and then at Canterbury on Wednesday by Ducale, both youngsters prepared by Paul Perry.

When Zoustar colt Zoustyle won a barrier trial on the dirt at Eagle Farm by 12 lengths earlier this month in brilliant time it got everyone talking and he made his debut at Doomben on Wednesday as a red hot favourite.

The full to Thunder Lady, Perun has found his niche in Tasmania with trainer Alana Fulton having been secured on gavelhouse Australia for $17,000.

A new program for Victorian breeders to support local equestrian shows will see thousands of extra dollars in prizemoney on offer for those competing on Off The Track thoroughbreds.

Euroa based breeder Ken King has announced that his Group 1 winning stallion Bon Aurum has been retired from racing with a stud career now beckoning.

Group I racing is what the commercial breeding industry revolves around and success goes a long way to dictating service fees and yearling prices, so it pays to know what the landscape looks like.

Further underlining the quality of a selection that hails from the top French and European nurseries, this year has seen a plethora of exciting performances from previous graduates, not least 2016 sales topper MAGIC WAND who captured the Group II Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last week in dazzling style.

LAST YEAR’S Everest hero REDZEL has returned to work at Snowden Racing ahead of a spring preparation focused on defending his title in the world’s richest race on turf.

A graduate of the 2017 Inglis Ready2Race Sale looks a bright prospect for leading Central Coast trainer Kim Waugh after scoring at Wyong on Tuesday.

I Am Invincible broke the three way deadlock at 17 all for leading sire by Australian two year-old winners at Wyong on Tuesday when Salsa Man flashed home to score an eye-catching win.

Motherhood has been deferred for Encosta de Lago’s star sprinter English with her owners Newhaven Park confirming via Twitter she has secured a slot for the $10million The Everest in October.

Francaletta’s final campaign will include Group One options at home and away.

Group I racing has concluded for the current Australian racing season so we decided to take a look through our elite winners and check out some of the stats with 73 Group I races won by 55 individual horses.

Cornerstone Stud is pleased to announce it will be having its annual Stallion Parade on Sunday, July 29th 2018 - All are welcome to come along, to view the stallions and share in the delights of the Barossa Valley.

Belardo (GB) (Lope De Vega) is still some way off having runners at Royal Ascot with his first foals arriving this season however, results of the last week have only enhanced his appeal to breeders in both hemispheres as the success of his sireline continues to go from strength to strength.

Nine juvenile heats at the Rosehill trials on Monday morning featured some interesting winners but none more so than the most expensive yearling from the first crop of Champion 3YO Dundeel from Golden Slipper winner and Champion 2YO and 3YO Miss Finland.

Ben Ropiha’s aim of sending Ripnroll to the paddock as a winner was fulfilled at Te Aroha.

Champion trainer Mark Walker has struck an overdue winning blow at the highest level at Kranji.

Crack New Zealand-bred stayer Werther overcame a string of setbacks to finish a gallant runner-up in Sunday’s Group I Takarazuka Kinen (2200m) at Hanshin.

The last Group I race of the Australian season, the Group I Tatts Tiara delivered victory for top class mare Prompt Response and got us thinking about her sire Beneteau and just what could have been had he not died after producing just two crops of foals at Arrowfield Stud.

Stakes winning mare Ellicazoom willhave another racing campaign after she set an all time state auction record when selling for $420,000 at today's Magic Millions Perth Winter Sale at Belmont.

Aquis shuttler Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) has had stakes-winners in every racing country in the world and was in the frame in Canada on the weekend when Shahroze captured the Grade III Singspiel Stakes at Woodbine.

The one thing missing on the resume of Widden Stud’s quiet achiever Nicconi is a Group I winner, but that looks certain to change next season when we see the best of Nature Strip.

It was a great day at the office on Saturday for So You Think with a winning double at Randwick courtesy of You Make Me Smile and I Thought So and a new stakes-placed two year-old in Light Up the Room.

A good year of success on the track for Windsor Park Stud’s Rip Van Winkle (IRE) continued on the weekend when winter track specialist Sleeping Beauty saluted at Tauranga.

New York Minute (NZ) (Iffraaj), who cost just $15,000 at the 2013 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka, collected a valuable first black-type win in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed Woburn Farm Tauranga Classic (1400m).

Such is the dominance of Bob and Sandra Peters in the west, it’s quite remarkable that the last time his pink and white silks enjoyed success in the $100,000 Listed WAROA-Belmont Guineas (1600m) came a decade ago with Cohort.

Short-priced favourite Poised To Strike looks to have a bright future following his dominant win in Saturday’s MJ Chickens Hcp (1250m) at Morphettville Parks.

Outstanding Fastnet Rock colt Merchant Navy left Australia earlier this year as the best three year-old sprinter in the country and is now one of the best in the world after capturing the Group I Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot overnight for Coolmore.

Quality sprinting mare Spright can deliver a big finish when things go her way and she did just that to win the Group III BRC Healy Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.

Runner-up twice at Group I level, the courageous Prompt Response finally broke through for a well-deserved win at the elite level in Saturday’s $500,000 Group 1 Tatt's Tiara (1350m) at Doomben.

At the same meeting twelve months ago, Peter and Paul Snowden were celebrating the win of Written Tycoon’s Tycoon Tara in the Group 1 Tatt’s Tiara.

The former shuttler Lope de Vega (IRE) has enjoyed a fine run of success of late and he was represented by another stakes-winner at Doomben.

Harry Grace made full use of his inside barrier on the John Salanitri-trained Tidal Rose who made a winning career debut in a maiden plate of 1000 metres at Donald on Saturday.

Widden Stud’s Cox Plate winner Shamus Award featured at Doomben on Saturday when his exciting filly Malahide scored a resounding win in the $175,000 BRC Aquis Crystal Slipper.

Granny Red Shoes will head for a spell after toying with the opposition in Saturday’s Listed Winning Edge Presentations Stakes (1350m) at Doomben.

Invincible Spirit colts with Group I form have become sought after as stallion prospects and we can add the name of Eqtidaar to that list after his stylish win in the Group I Commonwealth Cup (6f) at Royal Ascot.

Former Windsor Park shuttler Mastercraftsman had his turn in the spotlight at Royal Ascot overnight when his star three year-old filly Alpha Centauri won a top class renewal of the Group I Coronation Stakes (1m).

The race to be leading sire of Australian two year-old winners took an interesting turn on Friday with I Am Invincible drawing level with Not a Single Doubt and Spirit of Boom on 17 winners.

Five 2YO colts sired by Snitzel, Written Tycoon and Stratum are among several high-profile entries in Inglis Digital's June Online Aurtion which is now open for bidding.

Former New Zealand-trained stayer Werther will be in action in Japan on Sunday when he contests the Group I Takarazuka Kinen (2200m).

With the passage of time, it’s easy to forget that back in 2007 Encosta de Lago received a late call-up to join the Coolmore roster in Ireland.

Entries are now open for the 2018 edition of Australia's most popular breeze up style auction, the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs in Training Sale.

In a world first, Swettenham Stud has launched a new initiative, called “Foalshare – Wholeshare” for the upcoming stud season that reiterates their commitment to positioning the breeder first.

The Group I Ascot Gold Cup (2m4f) was the highlight on the Royal Ascot program overnight with victory going to blue-blooded Sea the Stars stallion Stradivarius over French stayer Varizabad with Te Akau owned Torcedor a brave third.

The top lot at the 2016 Arqana August Yearling Sale when fetching 1,400,000 euros, stunning Galileo filly Magic Wand proved her worth on the track with a stylish win in the Group II Ribblesdale Stakes (1m4f) at Royal Ascot.

Montjeu's Epsom Derby winner Camelot shuttled to Coolmore Australia for just one season and featured overnight at Royal Ascot when promising staying three year-old Hunting Horn scored a commanding victory in the Group III Hampton Court Stakes (1m2f).

You wait a lifetime for a stallion like this one to come along.

A mare and a filly selling for $240,000 and $210,000 respectively highlighted the final day of the 2018 Inglis Great Southern Sale.

Magic Millions is pleased to announce the launch of Horseco Exchange in Australia for 2018.

TRIPLE CROWN’S flying filly Moss Trip will look to end her campaign on a high as she bids for victory in the final Group 1 of the season, the Tatts Tiara at Doomben.

The versatility of champion sire Fastnet Rock will be highlighted at Royal Ascot tonight when his tough staying son Torcedor carries the Te Akau colours of David Ellis in the Group I Royal Ascot Gold Cup over the extreme staying trip of two miles and four furlongs, a race won by his close relation Yeats an astonishing four times.

The surprises kept coming at Royal Ascot overnight with Frankel’s hot favourite Cracksman going down in the Group I Prince of Wales's Stakes (1m2f)at the hands of five year-old journeyman Poet’s Word.

A homebred for the powerful Juddmonte Farms breeding operation, three year old Acclamation colt Expert Eye gave comeback rider James McDonald a memorable win in the Group III Jersey Stakes (7f) at Royal Ascot.

Day Four of the 2018 Inglis Great Southern Sale rounded out the broodmare section of the catalogue, which saw eight mares reach $100,000 or more.

He’s trained a Golden Slipper winner and a Melbourne Cup winner, so it was interesting to see Les Bridge had a twinkle in his eye when he greeted this three year-old Sebring filly as she returned to scale following a facile win at Canterbury on Wednesday.

The last crop of foals by ill-fated Epsom Derby winner High Chaparral (IRE) will turn three at the end of this season and may provide a fitting finale to a wonderful career with a debut juvenile winner at Canterbury today showing the promise of classic success in the future.

In February, Racenet reported the former Nick Olive trained mare Single Gaze had been sold to Japanese racing giant Katsumi Yoshida for an undisclosed sum and would head to the northern hemisphere after her autumn campaign, but it has now been confirmed that Chris Waller will train the star daughter of Not a Single Doubt for a spring campaign.

The international bloodstock world was impressed overnight with the brilliant win of exciting colt Calyx in the Group II Coventry Stakes providing the first stakes-winner for high profile Juddmonte Farms sire Kingman, who has a lone colt destined to race in Australia next season.

Punters had very little to worry about when hot favourite Botti romped to victory at Pukekohe over 1200m on Wednesday on debut.

Goffs UK, in partnership with Goodwood Racecourse, will hold a boutique sale for high-end Horses-in-Training and breeding opportunities at this year’s Qatar Goodwood Festival on Wednesday 1 August.

Rosemont Stud, Woodside Park and Written Tycoon were among the leaders of the Inglis Great Southern Sale select weanling session over the past three days.

Unbeaten Frankel colt Without Parole followed in the footsteps of his famous sire by winning the Group I St James’s Palace Stakes (1m) at Royal Ascot.

Four year-old Shamardal stallion Blue Point produced a career best performance to win in the Group I King’s Stand Stakes (5f) for Godolphin at Royal Ascot.

The Group I Queen Anne Stakes (1m) produced a blow out result to start the Royal Ascot meeting overnight with Accidental Agent zooming home from last to spring a 33/1 surprise.

The weanling catalogue of the 2018 Inglis Great Southern Sale concluded today with a total of 444 weanlings being sold.