Australia’s Busiest Sires of 2023

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday Mar 5

The Australian Studbook have today released the official covering statistics for the 2023 breeding season with 22 sires covering books of 150 or more mares which was significantly down on last year when 31 stallions were in the 150 plus club.

The busiest sire was Newgate Farm’s bargain basement up and comer Tassort, a Group II placed half-brother by Brazen Beau to Astern, whose first two year-olds have hit the ground running.

Tassort

When Manaal won the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes on debut last spring, she put the flashing red light on her sire Tassort and is now set to be his first Golden Slipper runner after winning last weekend’s Group II ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes.

Tassort has had strong support from Emirates Park who stand him in conjunction with Newgate and now everyone else seems to have jumped on board with his book soaring from 132 mares in 2022 to 232 last spring.

Advertisement

Better Than Ready was the busiest sire in Queensland.

Lyndhurst Stud’s Better Than Ready was the busiest Queensland based sire covering 213 mares, while Yulong had the next two most popular sires in Alabama Express and Pierata, whose oldest progeny are two year-olds. They both had spring Melbourne stakes-winners in Karavasand Coleman, no doubt spurring their support.

Justify (USA) was the busiest shuttle sire.

Coolmore based Justify (USA) was the busiest of the shuttle sires and attracted his biggest ever book in Australia with those broodmare owners now in the happy position of having backed a stallion now seen as one of the best young sires in the world.

Newgate Farm’s handsome Snitzel sprinter In The Congo was the busiest of the first season sires covering 169 mares and we will look more closely at those first season sires in a follow up story.

Sire

Mares Covered

2023 Fee

Stud

State

Tassort (AUS) 2016

232

$11,000

Newgate Farm

NSW

Better Than Ready (AUS) 2009

213

$27,500

Lyndhurst Stud Farm

QLD

Alabama Express (AUS) 2016

206

$22,000

Yulong Stud

VIC

Pierata (AUS) 2014

191

$44,000

Yulong Stud

VIC

Home Affairs (AUS) 2018

189

$99,000

Coolmore Australia

NSW

Zousain (AUS) 2015

189

$22,000

Widden Stud

NSW

Justify (USA) 2015

188

$77,000

Coolmore Australia

NSW

Russian Revolution (AUS) 2013

185

$88,000

Newgate Farm

NSW

Acrobat (AUS) 2018

178

$13,750

Coolmore Australia

NSW

Dundeel (NZ) 2009

177

$82,500

Arrowfield Stud

NSW

Capitalist (AUS) 2013

174

$77,000

Newgate Farm

NSW

Spirit Of Boom (AUS) 2007

172

$38,500

Eureka Stud

QLD

In The Congo (AUS) 2018

169

$33,000

Newgate Farm

NSW

So You Think (NZ) 2006

164

$99,000

Coolmore Australia

NSW

Toronado (IRE) 2010

164

$88,000

Swettenham Stud

VIC

Grunt (NZ) 2014

164

$22,000

Yulong Stud

VIC

Hitotsu (AUS) 2018

162

$22,000

Arrowfield Stud

NSW

Jacquinot (AUS) 2019

157

$33,000

Widden Stud

NSW

I Am Invincible (AUS) 2004

156

$302,500

Yarraman Park

NSW

Zoustar (AUS) 2010

155

$220,000

Widden Stud

NSW

Farnan (AUS) 2017

152

$55,000

Kia Ora Stallions

NSW

Stay Inside (AUS) 2018

151

$77,000

Newgate Farm

NSW

A comparison with last year’s list pictured below is always interesting and highlights the often fickle nature of the bloodstock industry.
 

Stallion

Mares

Fee 2022

Stud 

So You Think (NZ) 2006

211

$93,500

Coolmore Australia

Home Affairs (AUS) 2018

202

$110,000

Coolmore Australia

Russian Revolution (AUS) 2013

200

$71,500

Newgate Operations Pty Ltd

Tagaloa (AUS) 2017

192

$30,250

Yulong Investments Yulong Stud

Stay Inside (AUS) 2018

188

$77,000

Newgate Operations Pty Ltd

Acrobat (AUS) 2018

188

$13,750

Coolmore Australia

Zoustar (AUS) 2010

185

$198,000

Widden Stud Australia Pty Ltd

Farnan (AUS) 2017

184

$55,000

Kia Ora Stallions Operations Pty Ltd

Trapeze Artist (AUS) 2014

183

$55,000

Widden Stud Australia Pty Ltd

Spirit Of Boom (AUS) 2007

182

$33,000

Eureka Cambooya Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd

I Am Invincible (AUS) 2004

178

$247,500

Yarraman Park Stud Pty Ltd

Wild Ruler (AUS) 2017

175

$38,500

Newgate Operations Pty Ltd

Hanseatic (AUS) 2017

175

$17,600

Rosemont Stud

Capitalist (AUS) 2013

174

$99,000

Newgate Operations Pty Ltd

Harry Angel (IRE) 2014

174

$16,500

Godolphin Australia

Zousain (AUS) 2015

171

$22,000

Widden Stud Australia Pty Ltd

Supido (AUS) 2011

170

$8,800

Widden Stud Australia Pty Ltd

Wootton Bassett (GB) 2008

169

$71,500

Coolmore Australia

Anders (AUS) 2017

169

$16,500

Widden Stud Australia Pty Ltd

Snitzel (AUS) 2002

168

$220,000

Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd

Maurice (JPN) 2011

165

$82,500

Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd

Hellbent (AUS) 2012

165

$22,000

Yarraman Park Stud Pty Ltd

Yes Yes Yes (AUS) 2016

164

$38,500

Coolmore Australia

Tiger Of Malay (AUS) 2018

164

$16,500

Newgate Operations Pty Ltd

Nicconi (AUS) 2005

162

$22,000

Widden Stud Victoria

Ole Kirk (AUS) 2017

160

$55,000

Vinery Stud (Australia) Pty Ltd

The Autumn Sun (AUS) 2015

159

$66,000

Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd

St Mark's Basilica (FR) 2018

159

$44,000

Coolmore Australia

Rubick (AUS) 2011

156

$22,000

Swettenham Stud

Toronado (IRE) 2010

150

$88,000

Swettenham Stud

Fierce Impact (JPN) 2014

150

$16,500

Leneva Park

Advertisment
More Reading...
New 2YO SW for Pinatubo
Darley shuttler Pinatubo (IRE) will have a great chance in the $1million Group III MRC Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) at Sandown on Saturday with 3YO filly Sequinned and overnight in France he added a new stakes-winner to his tally.
Ace Stud Add Night of Thunder Stallion to Roster
The European sister farm to Yulong, Ace Stud have announced the addition of a new stallion to their Newmarket roster with Zeus Olympios to join Shaquille and Lucky Vega, who is finishing his Australian season in the Hunter Valley after switching from Victoria.
Darley Announce 2027 European Fees -Night of Thunder Soars to €450,000
It will be Dubawi central at Darley in 2027 with the legendary 24YO sire priced at £350,000, but the roster is topped by his champion son Night of Thunder at €450,000 and there are three more G1 winning sons or grand-sons of Dubawi also added to a power packed roster.
Racing Industry Mourns Much Loved Izzy Neale
The thoroughbred racing industry is devastated tonight following news that apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, aged 22, has tragically died as the result of a race fall at Warren on Sunday.
Group One performer Myakkabelle goes under the hammer on Gavelhouse Plus
Gavelhouse Plus is giving breeders the chance to add a Group One performer to their broodmare band with the auction of multiple black-type placegetter Myakkabelle.
Remembering Sunline – The Queen of the Cox Plate Before Winx
From our vantage point in 2026, we can look back at modern Cox Plate history and marvel at how quickly the years are passing.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday November 11
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
South Australian Breeders Celebrate Cup Week Racing
Often considered the pinnacle of racing in Australia, the week-long Flemington carnival draws together four days of outstanding racing with South Australian bred runners playing a strong hand in this year’s results, winning on each of the four days.
Debut Winners Join Road to TAB Karaka Millions 2YO
The $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) dream is well and truly alive for two big groups of owners following first-start victories by two-year-old fillies at Te Rapa and Tauherenikau last weekend.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 12
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.