FOALS FROM OUR FIRST SEASON SIRES

Article by Trevor Marshallsea | Photos courtesy of Breednet.com

A new crop of foals means a new selection of first season sires are off and running, and from our photo gallery we can see there’s a host of beautiful babies and potential champions among them.

It’s always one of the hottest questions in breeding: Who will be the most popular first season sires come yearling sale time - in this case, in 2025.

And judging by the numbers, or the “votes” of the nation’s most discerning breeders booking in for coverings in the Hunter Valley last year, a handful of first season sires are very well placed to kick off strongly.

Blistering sprinter Home Affairs was the most patronised first season sire in the spring of 2022. Coolmore’s dual Group 1 winner, standing at an initial service fee of $110,000, covered a bulging book of 203 mares.

A few of his first croppers in particular will draw plenty of attention, such as a filly who’s the third foal of triple G1-winning sprinter Sunlight, and the first-foal colt of dual G1 victor Shout The Bar.

Newgate Farm’s Stay Inside covered 189 mares at a fee of $77,000, and as one of the first sons of the remarkable Extreme Choice to go to stud, the Golden Slipper hero’s first crop will be in keen demand. Among others, blending speed and stamina it includes a colt from the mare made famous as the last horse to beat Winx, 2015 ATC Oaks winner Gust Of Wind.

Acrobat - winner of the Inglis Nursery at his only start and now standing alongside his sire Fastnet Rock at Coolmore - drew impressive first-season patronage with 188 covers at $13,750.

Newgate’s G1 Moir Stakes winner Wild Ruler - bringing new North American blood through his five-time stakeswinning dam Gypsy Robin - made a strong start with 175 mares at $38,500. And his studmate and another son of Extreme Choice - Tiger Of Malay - served 164 at $16,500.

And another of Coolmore’s first season sires of particular interest - the five-time G1-winning former European horse of the year St Mark’s Basilica - is set to have a strong representation at the sales of 2025. He was the most patronised first-season shuttler of 2022, covering 159 mares at $44,000.