Is Sidestep the Best Value Sire in Australia?

Champion colt of his year SIDESTEP has made a dream start to his stud career with Golden Slipper winner KIAMICHI rocketing him to the top of the First Season Sires Table and behind only heavyweights I AM INVINCIBLE and SNITZEL in the 2YO Sires Premiership.

As the 2019 service fee picture takes shape, Telemon's decision to price its star stallion at $22,000 looks better value by the day.

An analysis of the 2019 service fees for the highest performing First Season & 2YO Sires highlights the value of SIDESTEP – he has the lowest fee out of the top 5 in both tables.

"We're comfortable with where we've priced him," said Telemon Thoroughbreds General Manager Joe Heather.

"Vin, Alastair and the team at Darley were obviously deeply involved in the decision and they were supportive of our desire to set a fee which remained attainable.

"You have to remember a lot of his competitors have syndicates behind them and, when a relatively limited number of nominations are available, it becomes a question of supply and demand.

"For breeders outside of those syndicates, it become expensive to access some of those horses. We believe SIDESTEP is exceptional value."

It has been a truly remarkable start for a young stallion who, despite an exceptional resume, has had to do it the hard way having entered stud in 2015 at a modest fee of $11,000.

That season, his illustrious sire EXCEED AND EXCEL was the undisputed king of the Darley roster, commanding a fee of 10 times his freshman son at $110,000.

How ironic that one of SIDESTEP's first runners would deny EXCEED AND EXCEL his third Slipper winner when KIAMICHI led home EXCEED AND EXCEL's own MICROPHONE in the breed-shaping race.

Far from being a one act affair, SIDESTEP boasts a very good ratio of winners-to-runners. The fact that three of his winners including KIAMICHI have saluted on debut is a source of further encouragement for SIDESTEP supporters given how progressive his stock are proving.

One of his most promising offspring, SURREAL STEP, is currently spelling without having joined the winners list, but the powerful Lindsay Park stable have earmarked the colt for big things in the Spring.

"David and Ben Hayes are raving about SURREAL STEP," said Heather.

"We chatted about him at the Easter Sales and they are adamant he's a Group horse.

"That's arguably even more exciting for us than KIAMICHI as, with all due respect, his dam is what you might call a modest mare, and then you know there's some serious sire-power coming into play."

So, is SIDESTEP the best value stallion in the country?

First Season Sires 18/19 (13 May 2019)