Zoustar joins Vinnie and Extreme Choice as Australia’s most expensive stallions at $275,000

Cover image courtesy of Widden Stud

Standing 18 stallions at its Hunter Valley and Victorian bases, historic Widden Stud looks set for a big spring with their star of the show - Zoustar - earning a fee increase up to $275,000 (inc GST) from $220,000 last year.

His son Zousain, who has made a most encouraging start to his stud career, also has a fee rise from $22,000 to $27,500 (inc GST). Meanwhile six stallions remain at their 2023 fees whilst there are reductions on nine horses.

And a new boy joins the Victorian roster - the regally bred Group 1-winning juvenile King Colorado the first son of the outstanding stallion Kingman (GB) to make his way to that state.

Zoustar's stocks soaring

Widden’s “flagship sire” Zoustar has enjoyed an outstanding season on the track and in the sales ring, the G1 Golden Rose and G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner represented by so many talented horses that he was the world’s leading sire of winners last year.

He currently leads the way in Australia this season both by winners and wins, second only in prizemoney to I Am Invincible. 174 of his sons and daughters have been in winning form this racing year, between them win 275 races and over $19.4 million in stakes.

Fourteen of those winners have won 22 stakes races incuding the Group 1 gallopers Zougotcha, Joliestar, Climbing Star and the recently retired Ozzmosis.

Seven of his 2024 yearlings fetched $1 million and over - including his $2.2 million filly out of Prompt Response (Beneteau) - with his Inglis Easter average (27 sold) an impressive $693,333.

In a tricky financial era studs have been stepping up fees only for the elite stallions with Widden’s Antony Thompson noting that, “an increase in service fee in the financial climate we find ourselves in needs to be measured and warranted - and in the case of Zoustar he has truly earned it.”

A horse who has been on the rise since he debuted in 2014 at $44,000 (inc GST), Zoustar (of the current announcements) now shares joint billing with I Am Invincible and Extreme Choice as Australia’s most expensive stallions.

“We have always had complete belief in the potential of Zoustar to become an Australian champion sire and we are delighted for all of our clients who have shared in his constantly evolving story of success,” Thompson said.

Zoustar’s overall statistics make for good reading - 69.2 per cent winners-to-runners, 6.2 per cent stakes winners with eight of his 53 stakes winners successful at the elite level. He has already had three sons represented by winners whilst amongst his first three winners as a broodmare sire is this year’s G3 Black Opal S. winner Holmes a Court (Capitalist).

Zoustar's heir

The first son of Zoustar to sire a Group winner is his stud mate Zousain whose early success has seen his fee up from $22,000 to $27,500 (inc GST).

Seven of the G3 Champagne Classic winner’s debut crop runners are winners with all of them winning races at metropolitan meetings.

The G3 Magic Night S. was a good race for Zousain, his promising daughters Drifting and Chateau Miraval finishing first and third and others showing talent including the unbeaten Brisbane colt Zouna.

“He has a marginal increase on the back of encouraging results,” said Thompson, noting that there is more to come with Zousain so well supported in his first few years at stud - serving 189 mares last year, 171 the year before and 214 in 2021.

New boy for Victoria

Victorian breeders will remember being offered brief access to Invincible Spirit (Ire) from 2003 to 2006 and now the state welcomes a horse by one of his finest sons - the G1 JJ Atkins S. winner King Colorado being a son of Juddmonte’s outstanding stallion Kingman.

The first Kingman to stand in Victoria, King Colorado is one of that Cartier Horse Of The Year’s 76 stakes winners and 10 Group 1 winners (another enjoying local success - the G1 VRC Oaks winner Zardozi) and what a pedigree he has, Widden rightly describing him as “blue-blooded.”

He is a son of the stakes winner More Aspen (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) a member, as her name suggests, of the internationally prolific Fall Aspen (USA) (Pretense {USA}) family.

“His world class pedigree stamps him as a serious sire prospect,” Thompson said, adding that there are a limited of shares on offer.

Due to make his debut at $16,500 (inc GST), King Colorado - the first Australian Group 1-winning 2-year-old to retire to stud in Victoria in four years - did a great job winning his big race at just his third outing.

In doing so he impressed his jockey Jason Collett who noted that, “when I clicked him up... the amount of horse I had, I was kind of surprised as I wasn’t anticipating that!”

King Colorado remained in good form at three without a great deal of luck, running a tough G1 Caulfield Guineas fourth off a wide run and striking interference when second in two Group 3 events including the CS Hayes S. in which he ran into Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}).

Leading second crop sire

The current leading second-crop sire both by earnings, winners and wins, Trapeze Artist - who with his four Group 1 wins is one of Snitzel’s best sons - remains at the same $55,000 (inc GST) he stood at last year when proving popular serving 132 mares.

In those sire charts leading Justify (USA), The Autumn Sun and Harry Angel (Ire), Trapeze Artist has been somewhat of a quiet achiever - doing a fine job with a G1 Caulfield Guineas winner in the shape of Griff in his first crop.

That crop also produced the stakes winners Facile and Ducasse and several of his second crop youngsters are displaying good ability including the lightly raced stakes placegetters Fly Fly and Spywire.

He seems to be picking up on differing pedigrees so far - Griff carrying three Danehill (USA) strains whilst his other two stakes winners are out of Lonhro line mares.

Second season for Jacquinot

Speaking of interesting pedigrees, Jacquinot - who has a fee drop from $33,000 to $27,500 (inc GST) - certainly has one, being bred on a 3 X 4 cross of the wonderful mare Shantha’s Choice (Canny Lad), the dam of Redoute’s Choice and grandam of Rubick.

Jacquinot took his pedigree to the track, winning five of his 12 starts incuding the G1 Golden Rose S. and the C.F Orr S. - getting up on protest in the latter having struck interference taking on the older horses.

In those two races beating home 11 other Group 1 winners, Jacquinot also contested The Everest at three and was right in the thick of things behind Giga Kick (Scissor Kick).

“He was the only horse amongst last year’s first-season sires to retire as a Group 1 weight-for-age winner,” Thompson noted, adding that he has been pleased by the support he received in his first year - covering 157 mares.

Written By also good value

Another young horse on the up but down in fee is the Neville Begg-bred Written By, one of his Champion Sire’s Written Tycoon 62 stakes winners and 15 Group 1 winners - and one of his four sons (his first four to stud) to sire stakes winners.

Down to $22,000 (inc GST) from $27,500, the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner has enjoyed good success on the track and in the sales - siring the stakes winning 2-year-olds The Novelist and Ripcord in his debut crop and the exciting Straight Charge in his second.

Buyers are liking what they are seeing with the Written Bys, his three Inglis Easter yearlings selling for $260,000, $330,000 and $700,000 - undoubtedly an outstanding return of service fee.

Sky's the limit

The particularly handsome Portland Sky - who has his first weanlings going through the ring at Inglis next week - is another horse down in fee, from $22,000 to $19,800.

Joining the likes of Fastnet Rock, Snitzel and Starspangledbanner as 3-year-old winners of the great speed test that is the G1 Oakleigh Plate, Portland Sky won four of his 10 starts - also taking out the G3 Red Anchor S. and the G3 Manfred S., stamping himself as one of Victoria’s best 3-year-olds.

“His first foals are nothing short of outstanding,” Thompson enthused, noting that Portland Sky is the only Group 1-winning son of the retired Deep Field at stud. And what a great job that horse - who kicked off his stud career at $22,000 - has done with his 29 stakes winners.

Speedy Supido

His name translates to “speed” and Supido had plenty of that, winning seven races between 1000 metres and 1200 metres with his success at Group 3-level coming in the same race won by I Am Invincible - the Sir John Monash S.

Competitive in Group 1 dashes, Supido has a fee drop from $19,800 to $16,500 (inc GST) and as a horse getting regular winners he looks value.

His winners-to-runners ratio of 58.6 per cent is excellent for horse whose oldest runners are only four and in regards to strike rate he leads the way amongst the top 10 third-season sires; sitting above the likes of Hellbent and Russian Revolution.

“He has covered 311 mares in his last two seasons, indicating that the best is to come,” Thompson said.

Not A Single Doubt boys

Widden have shown faith in the late Not A Single Doubt and why not - that excellent speed influence is the sire of one of Australia’s finest young stallions in Extreme Choice.

There is a Not A Single Doubt on offer for New South Wales and Victorian breeders - the G3 San Domenico S. winner Anders standing in the Hunter Valley at the same fee - $16,500 (inc GST) - as last year whilst the dual Group winner Doubtland remains at $13,200 (inc GST).

Both horses are being prepared for their fourth season at stud and Thompson is encouraged by how their first yearlings sold - Anders’ fetching up to $330,000 with a Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale average of $194,000 whilst the Doubtlands sold for up to $220,000 with a Magic Millions average of $168,333.

“Both horses have every opportunity to succeed,” Thompson said, noting that the progeny of Anders were purchased by the likes of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Star Thoroughbreds, Michael Freedman, Paul Moroney and Bjorn Baker whilst Doubtland’s yearlings were secured by Hawkes Racing, Tony McEvoy, Gerald Ryan, Suman Hedge and Dean Hawthorne.

Both horses boast strong pedigrees, the $670,000 Magic Millions graduate Anders hailing from a high-class American family whilst the $1.1 million Inglis Easter purchase Doubtland is bred on a 4 X 4 cross of his own fourth dam - Rory’s Jester’s dam Rory’s Rocket (GB) (Roan Rocket {Ire}).

He's a rebel

There were only 27 foals in Rebel Dane’s first crop and 26 in his second. And yet from those limited opportunities he was able to sire a stakes winner in each - Subterranean taking out the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic whilst his headliner Fireburn earned Champion 2-Year-Old status with her memorable wins in the G1 Golden Slipper S. and the G1 Sires Produce S.

Winning another Group 2 races, Fireburn now calls Japan home and there is more to come for her sire whose books have increased on the back of his early success.

“His biggest and best crop of foals will hit the yearling sales in 2025,” Thompson said.

A horse in the Spirit Of Boom mould, Rebel Dane showed himself to be not only classy - winning two Group 1 sprints - but durable and tough, racing 40 times - winning eight races and amassing over $2.4 million in stakes.

A successful venture

It was quite the project to purchase a Northern Hemisphere-bred yearling and race him in Australia but it was a successful venture for the Danny O’Brien stable with the handsome Russian Camelot (Ire).

Winning four of his 11 starts incuding the G1 Underwood S. and the G1 South Australian Derby, Russian Camelot was not one to shirk a task - also running great races in the G1 WS Cox Plate and the G1 Melbourne Cup.

Remaining at his 2023 fee of $19,800, Russian Camelot was well-received by buyers with his first-crop yearlings selling for up to $250,000 win an average of $94,000. Danny O’Brien was happy to add them to his stable and they were also bought by he likes of Griffiths de Kock, Anthony Freedman and Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.

Russian Camelot is one of the 60 stakes winners and 11 Group 1 winners for his sire Camelot (GB) whose victories in the G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Irish Derby earned him the title of European Champion 3-Year-Old Colt and Irish Horse of the Year.

For those interested in a bit of historical trivia - Camelot is a descendant of the famed Kincsem (Hun) (Cambuscan {GB}), the legendary unbeaten winner of 54 races.

Victoria's stalwart

Down from last year’s fee of $22,000 to $16,500 (inc GST) is one of Victoria’s favourite stallions Nicconi.

With his 29 stakes winners including the superstar sprinter Nature Strip, Nicconi has well and truly etched his name in local racing history and he is no one-horse stallion - rewarding his supporters with an excellent 72.5 per cent winners-to-runners strike rate.

Nicconi’s yearlings continue to sell well - fetching up to $270,000 this year - and the well related G1 Lightning S. and G1 Galaxy winner is one of the best proven stallions in the state.

A second Written Tycoon

Whilst Written By stands in New South Wales, Widden offers Victorian breeders access to the Written Tycoon genes via his G2 Schillaci S.-winning son Dirty Work.

Remaining at his 2023 fee of $13,200 (inc GST), he has been popular with breeders and buyers - serving 373 mares in his first three years at stud with his first yearlings selling for up to $260,000 with a Magic Millions average in excess of $140,000.

“They have been purchased by astute buyers,” Thompson said - highlighting the likes of Griffiths de Kock, Aramco Racing, John Thompson, Boomer Bloodstock, Ciaron Maher and Phillip Stokes.

The fast good looker

Describing the second-season sire Bruckner as “fast and good looking,” Thompson is looking forward to filling the second book of Snitzel’s Group 3-winning son Bruckner.

A horse who caught the eye from early days - topping the 2020 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Brucker debuted at $11,000 (inc GST) last year and remains at that fee.

Competitive with the best of his season’s 3-year-olds - running second to Home Affairs in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. - Bruckner comes from a family of lookers with his full sister topping this year’s Inglis Premier.

And it is a family of speed, Bruckner out of the city winner Jestajingle (Lonhro) whose Listed WATC Gimcrack S.-winning dam Jestatune (Rory’s Jester) produced the G3 Vain S. winner Jukebox.

Victoria's proven trio

The three lower priced horses on the Widden Victoria roster offer broodmare owners a chance to breed a nice horse with Gold Standard down from $13,200 to $9900 (inc GST), Star Witness from $11,000 to $8800 (inc GST) and Overshare down from $8800 to $5500 (inc GST).

Siring the Group 1-winning 2-year-old Sheeza Belter in his debut crop, the G2 Stan Fox S. winner Gold Standard has “his biggest and best crop of foals” heading to the yearling sales next year whilst the dual Group 1 winner Star Witness keeps doing the job with his 24 stakes winners.

Gallery: The Widden Victoria roster offers broodmare owners a chance to breed a nice horse for less than $10,000

“He has sired 100 or more individual Australian winners in each of the last six seasons,” Thompson noted. “He has sired eleven individual million dollar winners and has progeny earnings in excess of $74 million.”

The G3 Zeditave S. winner Overshare - son of I Am Invincible - has one of the best mares in the country with his daughter Lady Laguna winning the G1 Canterbury S. whilst the lightly raced Adelaide 3-Year-Old & 4-Year-Old Classic winner Overstrike is showing plenty of talent.

Table: Widden Stud's stallion roster for 2024