Our analysis of Australian Studbook covering statistics for 2023 continues with a look at a very interesting group of sires whose oldest progeny are two year-olds, so when fees were announced last year they did not have runners, but as the spring unfolded things were changing rapidly and for some that meant a bonanza in terms of mare bookings.
Four of the top six busiest sires in all of Australia fit the category with Tassort (232) topping the overall list while Alabama Express (206), Pierata (191) and Zousain (189) were not far behind.
The first three all registered spring stakes-winners with Tassort siring Manaal to win the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes, Alabama Express sired Karavas to win the Group III VRC Ottawa Stakes and Shangri La Express to win the Golden Gift, while Pierata had Coleman win the Listed MRC Debutant Stakes.
Zousain has taken a little longer to get going, but strong results at the yearling sales and good feedback from trainers ensured he too was heavily punted as a potential star sire on the rise.
Fourth Crop Sires by Coverings
Sire |
Mares 2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2023 Fee |
Farm |
Tassort (AUS) 2016 |
232 |
132 |
181 |
137 |
$11,000 |
Newgate Farm , NSW |
Alabama Express (AUS) 2016 |
206 |
78 |
99 |
141 |
$22,000 |
Yulong Stud, Vic |
Pierata (AUS) 2014 |
191 |
139 |
143 |
169 |
$44,000 |
Yulong Stud, Vic |
Zousain (AUS) 2015 |
189 |
171 |
214 |
188 |
$22,000 |
Widden Stud, NSW |
Yes Yes Yes (AUS) 2016 |
149 |
164 |
175 |
205 |
$33,000 |
Coolmore Australia, NSW |
I Am Immortal (AUS) 2016 |
121 |
100 |
96 |
116 |
$13,750 |
Swettenham Stud, Vic |
Too Darn Hot (GB) 2016 |
120 |
132 |
131 |
130 |
$44,000 |
Godolphin Australia, NSW |
Cosmic Force (AUS) 2016 |
110 |
145 |
167 |
146 |
$11,000 |
Newgate Farm, NSW |
Exceedance (AUS) 2016 |
103 |
125 |
155 |
142 |
$33,000 |
Vinery Stud, NSW |
Blue Point (IRE) 2014 |
101 |
115 |
138 |
128 |
$44,000 |
Godolphin Australia, Vic |
Dubious (AUS) 2016 |
88 |
143 |
112 |
162 |
$15,400 |
Kitchwin Hills, NSW |
Castelvecchio (AUS) 2016 |
86 |
89 |
106 |
142 |
$27,500 |
Arrowfield Stud, NSW |
D'Argento (AUS) 2014 |
78 |
147 |
140 |
151 |
$16,500 |
Bowness Stud, NSW |
Brutal (NZ) 2015 |
69 |
122 |
154 |
177 |
$22,000 |
Newgate Farm, NSW |
Royal Meeting (IRE) 2016 |
66 |
105 |
106 |
89 |
$11,000 |
Leneva Park, Vic |
Microphone (AUS) 2016 |
59 |
64 |
91 |
118 |
$33,000 |
Godolphin Australia, NSW |
So here we are come the autumn and for those breeders who have invested in these sires their stats are looking like this for Southern Hemisphere bred runners only in all countries and they are sorted by number of winners with sires that have produced a stakes-winner highlighted.
Sire |
Runners |
Winners |
SW |
SP |
Alabama Express (AUS) 2016 |
12 |
6 |
1 |
4 |
Tassort (AUS) 2016 |
14 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
Zousain (AUS) 2015 |
14 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
Brutal (NZ) 2015 |
10 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
Cosmic Force (AUS) 2016 |
12 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
Too Darn Hot (GB) 2016 |
11 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
Exceedance (AUS) 2016 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
Dubious (AUS) 2016 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
I Am Immortal (AUS) 2016 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
Royal Meeting (IRE) 2016 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Pierata (AUS) 2014 |
16 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
Blue Point (IRE) 2014 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
D'Argento (AUS) 2014 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
Microphone (AUS) 2016 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
Yes Yes Yes (AUS) 2016 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
Castelvecchio (AUS) 2016 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |