Toronado leads the way at Swettenham, remains at $88,000

Cover image courtesy of Swettenham Stud

Victorian-based Swettenham Stud unveiled its 2025 lineup of five stallions and their respective fees. The exceptional Toronado (Ire) leads the charge, whose fee remains unchanged at $88,000 inc GST.

Marcus Heritage from Swettenham Stud commented, “it is a well-balanced roster, and we are very excited by it. As a team, when we go about acquiring these stallions, a big factor is being able to provide sons of Champions, and we have sons of High Chapparral, Wootton Bassett, Snitzel, Shamardal, and I Am Invincible available for breeders.”

Committed to supporting breeders and staying ahead of industry trends, Swettenham Stud is also introducing a new initiative for the upcoming season: the Swettenham Breeder Protection.

This added layer of assurance gives breeders greater peace of mind. Should anything occur within the first three months of a foal’s life that prevents it from becoming a racing prospect, Swettenham Stud will honour a free return on all stallions.

“It’s a way of putting breeders first. Breeding horses isn’t an easy game and things go wrong," Heritage said.

“We are trying to play our part in helping breeders out with the risk involved, and see it as a way to help look after our clients.”

Toronado: Top of the class with more to come

At the top of the roster once again is Toronado, Victoria’s leading active sire, whose trajectory continues to rise with every crop. In 2024, Toronado was one of only two Australian stallions ranked among the world’s top five sires for winners. That form has translated directly into the sale ring in 2025, with his yearling average soaring by over 55 per cent.

Among the highlights was a colt out of Hardly Surprising (All Too Hard), offered by Gilgai Farm, who sold for $1 million to become the equal-top lot at the 2025 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Toronado’s results are all the more impressive because his success to date has come from service fees of $27,500 inc GST or less, except for his current 2-year-olds, who were conceived at $49,500 inc GST. The current crop of yearlings, which delivered his first million-dollar sale, were the first conceived off his $88,000 inc GST fee.

“The quality of mares that he has served has gone up a level, and this year's yearlings were the first of his progeny conceived off the higher service fee,” said Heritage.

“It was great to see him have his first million-dollar yearling this year.

Gallery: Toronado (Ire), standing at Swettenham Stud

“He is so well received across the board, he is hugely desired in the Asian market, but also local trainers and breeders want his progeny, he is a high-class stallion, and he deserves the success he is getting.”

Toronado will again stand at $88,000 inc. GST in 2025, presenting a compelling opportunity with his most expensive and best-credentialled crops still to race.

Speed in the blood, ready to strike early

Returning for his second season at stud is the explosive Lofty Strike, a Group-winning sprinter by Snitzel and the only stallion in Australia out of a G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner, Overreach (Exceed And Excel).

Lofty Strike covered a strong book of 115 mares in his debut season and is considered one of the sharpest and best-bred young stallions in Victoria. With Snitzel himself siring another Golden Slipper winner this season, Lofty Strike’s profile continues to strengthen.

“He is an extremely good-looking stallion, and after serving a really good book of quality mares, we can’t wait to see his first foals arrive," said Heritage. "If they are anything like him, they will look fast. We think he is the right horse for the market, and the team think he is priced right."

Gallery: Lofty Strike, standing at Swettenham Stud

“He has a very precocious pedigree. Snitzel himself sired another Slipper winner this year, and Lofty Strike is also out of a Slipper winner, so he has an outstanding early and quick pedigree.”

Lofty Strike will stand at $22,000 inc GST in 2025.

Proven Wootton Bassett line at an accessible price

European Group 1-winning sprinter Wooded (Ire), the only son of Wootton Bassett (GB) standing in Australia, returns for his fourth consecutive season, having made a strong impression in both hemispheres. Wooded led all first-season sires at the 2025 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale in service fee multiplier, averaging $120,000, while his New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale offerings reached up to NZ$200,000. In Europe, he’s already produced 20 winners from his first crop, including the Group winner Woodshauna (Fr).

“He has had some great results at the yearling sales, and we are very happy with them.” said Heritage.

“Being a son of Wootton Bassett can only be positive after the way he started with his first Australian crop, and he is the only son of Wootton Bassett in Australia, although I’m sure that will change with time.

Gallery: Wooded (Ire), standing at Swettenham Stud

“He’s a fast horse and he has had a good start in France, where he has sired 20 winners and had a Group winner.”

Wooded's potential upside is significant with Wootton Bassett’s first Australian crop running at an incredible 40 per cent stakes horses to runners. He will stand at a reduced fee of $16,500 inc GST in 2025.

I Am Immortal is 'a sire on fire'

The exciting young sire I Am Immortal continues to build serious momentum with a number of headline results in recent months. His first-crop star Mcgaw won the $1 million VOBIS Platinum Showdown, backed up by fellow VOBIS stars I Am Velvet and Athanatos, who recently added a Group 3 win to his record. Meanwhile, unbeaten filly Saluted stamped herself as a future stakes performer with a devastating win at Moonee Valley that took her record to two from two.

“He really has been a sire on fire, and we have had plenty of breeders over the last month or so asking about his fee, and wanting to book mares,” said Heritage.

Gallery: I Am Immortal, standing at Swettenham Stud

“We probably could have raised his fee, but we have decided to decrease it and make him the best value sire in Victoria. We want to get the numbers in and give him every chance. As well as for breeders, an opportunity to make money in the sales ring.

“There’s no doubt he is versatile, he has sired a $1 million 2-year-old winner and had a Group 3 winner over 2000 metres.”

I Am Immortal will be available for a reduced fee of $8800 inc GST in 2025.

Also available in 2025 is Puissance de Lune (Ire), the proven son of Shamardal (USA) who continues to produce consistent, tough racehorses across Australasia and now boasts a 100 per cent winners-to-runners record in Hong Kong. He remains eligible for the lucrative VOBIS scheme.

Puissance de Lune’s fee will be available on application.

“We want people to know that he is there to be used at what will be a very low fee, we have nominated him for VOBIS and he is a proven sire,” said Heritage.

Table: Swettenham Stud's stallion service fees for 2025