The Australian Studbook have finalized covering statistics from the 2017 season as at March 1, 2018.
They list the Top 120 stallions on their website and below are the Top 25 with Newgate Farm's Champion 2YO Capitalist (pictured above) in pole position having covered 229 mares at a fee of $55,000.
The 200 plus club also includes reigning champion sire Snitzel, Widden Stud favourites Nicconi and Sebring as well as Yarraman Park's flagbearer I Am Invincible and Chatswood Stud's Reward for Effort, the busiest sire in Victoria.
Current leading first season sires Spirit of Boom (Eureka Stud) and Zoustar (Widdden/
Woodside) were super popular covering books of 191 and 181 mares, so breeders
that punted them during the early spring before they had delivered their
winners have really shown some foresight.Ef Troop was the first winner for Spirit of Boom when he saluted on November 4, while Sunlight, although beaten on debut, did show herself to be a filly of potential when posting a stakes placing at Flemington on October 7, but did not become her sire's first winner until December 23.
Interesting jump in numbers for Widden Stud's Your Song, who delivered solid success with his first crop of two year-olds last season that inspired the owners of 183 mares to go to him last spring up from 46 the year before.
Your Song will inevitably hit a flat patch due to lack of runners from his small third and fourth crops, but for those who hang in there his foal crop of 2018 might well lift him back up into contention with his peers such as Pierro and All Too Hard.
Pierro in particular zoomed back into favour on the back of burgeoning spring results capped by a memorable Oaks win for Pinot. The Coolmore based Golden Slipper winner covered 192 mares up from 112 the year before at his lowest fee to date of $49,500.
