Cover image courtesy of Vinery Stud
Leading first season sire Ole Kirk headlines the six-strong Vinery Stud roster for the 2025 breeding season, with his fee almost doubling to $99,000 (inc GST) for this year. He is not the only Vinery resident who has had an outstanding season on the track and in the ring.
Ole Kirk’s 10 makes him king
Currently leading the first season sires’ premiership by number of winners and earnings, it is no surprise to see the son of Champion Sire Written Tycoon’s fee increase this year; taking a big step from $55,000 (inc GST), which he has stood at for four consecutive seasons, to $99,000 (inc GST). With 10 winners - including three stakeswinners - from just 17 to race, he is quickly stamping himself a sire to follow in the future.
Vinery’s General Manager Peter Orton said, “due to demand, Ole Kirk has gone up in fee. He has a perfect pedigree and offers a complete outcross for breeders throughout the heavy presence of Danehill in most pedigrees.
“He (Ole Kirk) has a perfect pedigree and offers a complete outcross for breeders throughout the heavy presence of Danehill in most pedigrees.” - Peter Orton
“The way Ole Kirk raced, we are looking to his late 2-year-olds and spring 3-year-olds to dominate. What he has done to date is a bonus and I think the best is yet to come.”
Bloodstock Manager Adam White could not agree more; “it’s very exciting to have a stallion start off so well. It takes you back to when More Than Ready first started with us, it’s just as exciting.
“It (Ole Kirk's start) takes you back to when More Than Ready first started with us, it’s just as exciting.” - Adam White
“We're not surprised that he's getting 2-year-olds, given he's a son of Written Tycoon, who clearly can get a top class juvenile, and out of a mayor by Bel Esprit, who was also a very good 2-year -old who won a Blue Diamond. And, of course, he (Ole Kirk) stepped out in a stakes race at Flemington in his first start as a 2-year-old and won, and he was Group 1-placed as a 2-year-old as well.
“But given the race horse he was as a 3-year-old and what we're seeing in (his progeny) that have had early trials and jumpouts (that are) coming back in now, it’s really exciting.”
Ole Kirk | Standing at Vinery Stud
Ole Kirk hit the ground running with the victory of King Kirk in the G3 Breeders’ Plate in October - with his daughter O’ Ole almost providing him a double when second in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes - and his progeny have continued to fire since. O’ Ole has blazed a trail through the Magic Millions races to over $1.9 million in prizemoney to date, and in March, Prestige Forever added to Ole Kirk’s honour roll with victory in the Listed Moonee Valley Pearl Stakes.
Ole Kirk currently sits second in the 2-year-old sires premiership for Australia, beaten in earnings and winners by four-time Champion Sire Snitzel; a truly elite spot to occupy so early in his career.
Adam White | Image courtesy of Inglis
Exceedance continues to excel
Maintaining his fee of $33,000 (inc GST) into 2025, Exceedance is another young stallion who has enjoyed a good season on the track and in the sales ring, with his yearlings selling up to $320,000 so far this season.
“He's another exciting young horse for us that's doing a terrific job,” White said. “Hence the reason we left him where he was in fee. He's got four first crop stakeswinners now, and he covered a fantastic book of mares last year.
Exceedance | Standing at Vinery Stud
“Using him this year would be a smart decision for a lot of breeders, because you're following on from a very good, healthy crop that he covered last year.”
Exceedance covered his biggest book to date in 2024 at 181 mares, as his first crop turned three. First crop filly Dance To The Boom was an exceptional winner of the Listed Gosford Guineas, and Listed-winning gelding Swiftfalcon has been consistently performing at Group level all spring and into the autumn, with third placings in both the G1 Randwick Guineas and G1 Rosehill Guineas.
Swiftfalcon | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“His stakes performers have been as widespread from Adelaide to Melbourne to Sydney,” White said.
“And I think Swiftfalcon has been just a little bit unlucky not to nail a Group 1 during the autumn, but I think, given the improvement he's made from the spring to the autumn. he's going to keep developing into potentially a class Group 1 horse in the future, which is exciting.”
“Given the improvement he's (Swiftfalcon) made from the spring to the autumn. he's going to keep developing into potentially a class Group 1 horse in the future, which is exciting.” - Adam White
All Too Hard, the racetrack’s Mr Consistent
Buoyed by the success of Stefi Magnetica in the G1 Doncaster Handicap, breeders will no doubt find All Too Hard an appealing option this breeding season and the Vinery team have endeavoured to make him all the more attractive with a fee of $27,500 (inc GST) this year.
“He's been a wonderful stallion,” White said. “He's had a fantastic year in the sales ring this year, selling for up to $350,000. And he can get you a top class racehorse; each of his five individual Group 1 winners are now multiple Group 1 winners.”
All Too Hard | Standing at Vinery Stud
Stefi Magnetica brought her total to two, joining the elite club occupied by Alligator Blood, Behemoth, Forbidden Love, and elite Hong Kong performer Wellington. Across the spectrum, All Too Hard has continued to deliver; other top performers this season include the ever-consistent Babylon Berlin and $1 million Kosciuszko winner Far Too Easy.
“The beauty of his progeny is that they race on, and on, and on,” White said. “They're very tough animals.
“The beauty of his (All Too Hard's) progeny is that they race on, and on, and on.” - Adam White
“He's a stallion that you can use with a lot of confidence that you will get a good return for your money in the sales ring, as well as setting up your mare to potentially throw a top line racehorse, which he can certainly do.”
Value on every level
The roster is rounded off by Star Turn, who will stand for $16,500, and Headwater, whose fee has been set at $6600. They are priced appealingly for both commercial breeders and breed-to-race owners.
“Star Turn is a little bit similar to All Too Hard,” White said. “He's a very consistent horse. He's got a great following in Asia and, again in the sales ring, we've had terrific results with him. He has some great fillies running around at the moment, like Alsephina.”
“He's (Star Turn) got a great following in Asia and, again in the sales ring, we've had terrific results with him.” - Adam White
Headwater is another on the roster that White says has been doing a great job in the covering shed.
“He's got several stakes winners, he can get a good 2-year-old and at that sort of price, we think he's going to have great appeal for that breed-to-race breeder,” he said. “Especially in New South Wales, where they can have a lot of fun with his stock.”
Gallery: Stallions with new services fee for Vinery, standing at Vinery Stud
Vinery Stud also announced that, after 17 seasons of service and 21 stakeswinners, Casino Prince has been pensioned from stud duty and will retire to Vinery's pastures. His legacy at stud continues through his daughters and the continued presence of All Too Hard on Vinery’s roster.
| Ole Kirk | $99,000 | $55,000 | Written Tycoon |
| Exceedance | $33,000 | $33,000 | Exceed And Excel |
| All Too Hard | $27,500 | $38,500 | Casino Prince |
| Hawaii Five Oh | $16,500 | $16,500 | I Am Invincible |
| Star Turn | $16,500 | $27,500 | Star Witness |
| Headwater | $6600 | $9900 | Exceed And Excel |
Table: Vinery Stud stallion fees for 2025, fees include GST
