Cover image courtesy of Widden Stud
The Thoroughbred Report will also reflect on the New Zealand season to highlight those who claimed Champion honours in their respective categories.
Champion Australian General Sire
Zoustar, standing at Widden Stud, has been crowned Champion Australian General Sire for the first time. After finishing runner-up to I Am Invincible last season, the tables turned this year.
Zoustar was represented by 198 individual winners of 335 races from 375 runners. His progeny earned $26,318,590 in total prizemoney, with 15 individual stakes winners winning a total of 23 stakes races. His standout performer, Joliestar, won the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap, Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup, and the Group 3 Show County Quality, contributing a substantial $2,813,500.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden Stud
Other top earners included Group 1-winning colt Schwarz, now at Rosemont Stud, the dual Group winner, and multiple Group 1 placed Growing Empire, and the Group winning mares Floozie, Right To Party, She’s Got Pizzazz and Olentia.
The late Snitzel, who stood at Arrowfield Stud before he sadly died in June, topped the stakes win count, with 18 progeny combining for 25 black-type victories.
I Am Invincible finished second with $22,779,421, just ahead of Coolmore Stud's Pride Of Dubai, who tallied $22,736,073.
Champion Australian First Season Sire
Champion Australian First Season Sire went to Vinery Stud's Ole Kirk. A resident at Vinery Stud, the son of Written Tycoon had 13 individual winners from 32 runners, with those winners totalling 19 wins and earnings of a very impressive $3,419,360.
His headline act was O’ Ole, winner of the Restricted Listed Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic and the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic. O’ Ole contributed $1,927,750 in prizemoney. Other stakes winners included Prestige Forever, Legacy Bound and King Kirk.
Ole Kirk | Standing at Vinery Stud
Although fellow first-season sire Farnan had one more individual winner, Ole Kirk led by total earnings and stakes winners. Wootton Bassett (GB), whose first Australian-bred crop raced this season, finished second with $2,870,905. Farnan placed third with $2,171,620, while Cool Aza Beel finished fourth on $1,893,160, bolstered by Group 1 winner Cool Archie.
Champion Australian Second Season Sire
Too Darn Hot (GB), based at Darley Stud, followed up his leading First-Season Sire title last year by securing the Champion Second Season Sire crown.
The son of Dubawi (Ire) was represented by 58 winners of 86 races, from only 98 runners, earning $10,006,035. His standout performer was Broadsiding, who won the Group 1 Golden Rose, Group 1 Rosehill Guineas, and Group 2 Hobartville Stakes, and was placed in both the Group 1 Cox Plate and Randwick Guineas.
He also sired Group winners Shanwah, Too Darn Discreet, Too Darn Lizzie and Tropicus.
Too Darn Hot (GB) | Standing at Darley Stud
Blue Point (Ire), also at Darley, finished second with $6,298,503 from 49 winners. Castelvecchio ranked third with $6,171,152 and he sired six stakes winners, led by Group 1 Australian Derby winner Aeliana.
Other notable contributors included Super Seth, Alabama Express and Brutal (NZ), who all sired Group 1 winners.
Champion Australian Broodmare Sire
Fastnet Rock claimed his second consecutive Champion Australian Broodmare Sire title. Daughters of the outstanding stallion produced 322 winners from 693 runners, including 20 individual stakes winners of 28 stakes races. Their total earnings exceeded $37,419,594.
His top performer out of his daughters included Joliestar, followed by other Group 1 winners like Reserve Bank and El Castello.
Fastnet Rock
Redoute’s Choice finished second with $28,467,744 and 16 stakes winners, while Snitzel placed third with $26,343,479, also siring 16 stakes winners.
Champion Australian 2-Year-Old Sire
Snitzel, the much-missed Arrowfield Stud stallion, secured the Champion Australian 2-Year-Old Sire title.
He sired 17 juvenile winners of 21 races from 39 starters, amassing $4,489,595. His best 2-year-olds included Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, as well as impressive Group winners Beadman and Blizburg.
Snitzel | Image courtesy of Arrowfield Stud
Ole Kirk had an impressive debut crop and placed highly on the 2-year-old premiership, while I Am Invincible finished third with $2,940,985, led by the Matt Laurie-trained Group 1 winning colt Vinrock.
Champion Australian 3-Year-Old Sire
Written Tycoon was crowned Champion Australian 3-Year-Old Sire after a standout season, with his 3-year-old progeny coming from his one-year tenure at Arrowfield Stud in 2000.
He sired 64 individual winners of 96 races, from 110 runners, with nine stakes winners of 10 stakes races. Progeny earned a total of $10,385,235.
Lady Of Camelot led the charge, although she didn’t win a race, she placed in the G1 Moir Stakes, G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, G2 Light Finger Stakes, G1 Coolmore Classic, G1 Surrond Stakes, $3 million Sunlight Stakes, and ran fourth in the G1 The Everest. She picked up prizemoney of $2,395,500.
Written Tycoon | Standing at Yulong Stud
Other standout 3-year-olds included Group 1 winner Private Life, along with other Group winners Reserve Capital and Public Attention.
Snitzel finished second with $9,310,696 and 10 stakes winners. Too Darn Hot was third with $7,222,835.
Champion Australian Jockey
William Pike took out the Australian Jockey Premiership with 167.5 wins from 696 rides, striking at 24.10% and earning $7,663,148.
Blake Shinn followed closely with 159 winners from 711 rides, and a massive $16,432,150 in prizemoney, topping the Victorian Metropolitan jockey standings.
William Pike | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Tash Faithfull won the nationwide Provincial Premiership with 115 wins, while Aaron Bullock again topped the nationwide Country Premiership with 107 wins.
Angela Jones became the first female jockey to win the Queensland Metropolitan Premiership, with 66 winners and $6,232,682, narrowly defeating Emily Lang.
Champion Australian Trainer
For the second year running, Ciaron Maher edged out Chris Waller for the overall Champion Trainer title.
Maher trained 328 winners from 2,417 starters at a strike rate of 13.57%, earning $60,912,708. His highlight was Bella Nipotina’s (Pride Of Dubai) win in The Everest.
Waller trained 271 winners and earned $56,024,353, thanks in part to the sensational Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), who won seven Group 1 races.
Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Waller set a new benchmark with 19 Group 1 wins this season. Maher followed with 10 victories at the elite level.
Waller claimed the nationwide Metropolitan Premiership with 204 wins. Ben, Will and JD Hayes won the Country Trainers' Premiership with 170 wins, while Rob and Annabel Neasham topped the Provincial table with 73 victories.
Champion Group 1 Horse and Leading Owner
Via Sistina matched Winx’s (Street Cry {Ire}) record of seven Group 1 wins in a single season. Her victories included the Winx Stakes, Turnbull Stakes, Cox Plate, Mackinnon Stakes, Verry Elleegant Stakes, Ranvet Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
She now has 13 career wins and $12,820,989 in prizemoney and will return next season in search of more milestones.
Via Sistina (Ire) | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Yulong’s colours flew high once again, with five individual Group 1 winners including Via Sistina, Treasurethe Moment, Devil Knight, Kimochi and Deny Knowledge.
Champion Vendor at Australian Yearling Sales
Arrowfield Stud topped the vendor rankings across major Australian sales, selling 131 yearlings for a total of $39,811,500.
Coolmore Stud was second with 84 yearlings sold for $33,036,000, bolstered by strong results from first-season sire Home Affairs, including two yearlings selling for over $3 million.
Arrowfield Stud Team | Image courtesy of Arrowfield Stud
