Champion Australian sire Redoute's Choicewill stand at a record Australian service fee of $300,000 plus GST this spring at Arrowfield Stud.
Arrowfield announced its 2007 roster and fees with Flying Spur, the current leader of the Australian general sires' premiership, also receiving an expected increase from $40,000 to $90,000 (plus GST).
Redoute's Choice stood at $250,000 (plus GST) in 2006, when the remarkable son of Danehill covered more than 190 mares. The $300,0000 fee works out to about $250,000 in American dollars.
It is anticipated his 2007 book will reach the same numbers, made up of approximately 60 owned by the Arrowfield syndicate and the remainder from commercial breeders.
Arrowfield Stud managing director John Messara said the results of last week's Australian Easter yearling sale at Newmarket, where Redoute's Choice had 11 yearlings sell for between $1 million and $2.1 million, justified the $50,000 increase in the stallion's fee.
"The international reputation of Redoute's Choice and the demand for his stock is now growing at an amazing rate," Messara said. "He has just served 38 mares, many from some of the leading international owners based in the Middle East, Europe and Japan, to Northern Hemisphere time, and they were leading the charge to buy his yearlings last week. It seems all the big players from overseas want a piece of him."
Redoute's Choice had 57 yearlings sell at Newmarket last week at an average of $662,100, a huge return on the fee of $44,000 he stood at in 2004 when this current crop was conceived.
Flying Spur, who leads Redoute's Choice in the race to be this season's leading sire and is unbeatable as this season's leading 2-year-old sire, stood at $30,000 (plus GST) in 2006.
Messara announced the service fees of the other six Arrowfield stallions would remain the same as 2006, apart from a reduction to $27,500 (including GST) for Danzero.
Messara added a decision was pending on whether international shuttler Falbrav would return for the 2007 season but indicated it was likely he would miss this spring and return to Australia in 2008.
The fees set for the Arrowfield roster in 2007 (including GST) are:
Redoute's Choice - $330,000
Flying Spur - $99,000
Hussonet - $38,500
Starcraft - $33,000
Snitzel - $33,000
Danzero - $27,500
Charge Forward - $24,750
Not a Single Doubte - $13,750