Coolmore have announced their 2024 roster with 13 outstanding stallions and while perennial favourite Fastnet Rock has earned a well deserved retirement and boom young gun Justify (USA) will remain in Kentucky, there is still a wealth of talent and diversity on offer for Australian breeders seeking to produce their next champion with not one but two Golden Slipper winners in the mix.
“Our current roster encompasses a strong mix of proven stallions and seriously exciting young horses for the future,” said Coolmore’s Tom Moore.
“The caliber of our stallions give breeders a fantastic opportunity to produce a top-class racehorse while we believe the fee levels offer them every chance of a great return in the sales ring.”
While the majority of sires have been given a marginal reduction in fee this year in keeping with the financial climate, Starspangledbanner has had a slight increase rising from $33,000 to $44,000.
“Starspangledbanner enjoyed his second high profile Group I success within the space of a month when his Australian-bred son Beauty Eternal landed the Champions Mile at Sha Tin today,” said Coolmore’s John Kennedy.
“California Spangle also ran second in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize on the same card having won the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan last month.”
Closer to home Starspangledbanner was also in hot form with exciting juvenile Stanley Express winning the $1million MRC Showdown on debut and he is yet another smart two year-old for his sire this season joining stakes-winners Herastar and Lincolnshire.
The only new addition to the roster is Golden Slipper winning Snitzel colt Shinzo, who was foaled and raised at Coolmore and has now returned to the farm in preparation for his initial season priced at a fee of $55,000.
“We are delighted to welcome Shinzo back to the farm. He’s a fantastic-looking individual and the Golden Slipper has an unmatched record as a sire-making race,” said Tom Moore.
Shinzo will be the second Golden Slipper winner to stand at Coolmore following in the footsteps of Pierro, who has sired over 450 winners that include 37 stakes-winners with lifetime earnings topping $87million in prizemoney.
Priced at $55,000 this year, Pierro has been making news worldwide this month with the sale of his yearling filly from champion racemare Winx that sold for $10million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and his first ever stakes-winner in North America. Australian bred Pierro mare Uncorked captured the Group III Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.
Currently running third and fourth on the Australian General Sires List by earnings having both sired the winners of over $18million this season, So You Think and Pride of Dubai have also had their fees trimmed and represent amazingly good value for what they can deliver.
So You Think is the sire of $12million earner Think About It and $8million earner Think It Over, while Pride of Dubai is the sire of two $8million earners in Pride of Jenni and Bella Nipotina, that’s a lot of bang for buck!
Fees for 2024 (2023 fee)
Acrobat (Fastnet Rock) $13,750 ($13,750)
Best of Bordeaux (Snitzel) $19,250 ($27,500)
Churchill (IRE) (Galileo) $19,800 ($22,000)
Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) $82,500 ($99,000)
King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) $22,000 ($27,500)
Pierro (Lonhro) $55,000 ($82,500)
Pride of Dubai (Street Cry (IRE) $22,000 ($27,500)
Shinzo(Snitzel) NEW $55,000
So You Think (High Chaparral (IRE) $82,500 ($99,000)
Starspangledbanner (Choisir) $44,000 ($33,000)
St Mark’s Basilica (FR) (Siyouni) $38,500 ($44,000)
Wootton Bassett (GB) (Iffraaj) TBC ($93,500)
Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) $19,250 ($33,000)