Snitzel, the son of his champion Arrowfield Stud-based barnmate Redoute's Choice, has retained his title as Australia's leading stallion for a second year in a row at the end of a season that saw a number of young sires make their presence felt.
Headed by Redzel, who claimed the inaugural AU$10 million running of the Tab Everest (G1) in Sydney, Snitzel was represented by a total of 173 winners, with 26 stakes scorers among them, for prize-money totaling AU$29,243,613 (approximately US$21,712,500).
The impact of winning the Everest, which will be run for an extra AU$3 million this October, is clear to see, with Snitzel's nearest rival I Am Invincible more than AU$13 million (about $9,650,000) adrift in the standings.
Snitzel, who just turned 16, was far from a one-horse sire though, producing the exciting De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (G1) winner Trapeze Artist, as well as stakes winners such as Menari, I Am Excited, Perast, Snitzepeg, Snitzkraft, Dracarys, Goodfella, and Showtime last season.
Arrowfield Stud principal John Messara was unsurprisingly effusive in his praise of Snitzel July 31 and told ANZ Bloodstock News: "He is majestic. He is the king of the kids. His figures are extraordinary this year.
"He has broken the all-time money record by a long way and, even if you take out the Golden Slipper (G1) and you take out the Everest, he is still a long way in front. He is extremely dominant."
Snitzel's success will see him stand for AU$220,000 (about $163,000) this year, the highest advertised price in the Southern Hemisphere, after starting his stud career at AU$33,000 and bottoming out at AU$22,000 in 2009.
"We are thrilled with the whole thing and that we have got him ourselves, and the fact that he started where he started," Messara said.
"He is a son of Redoute's Choice, who is a son of Danehill, so we have been there all the way. It has been three generations and it has been a privilege with the three of them, to be honest."
Great Britain-Bound Zoustar Shows Freshmen the Way
Zoustar, who will shuttle to Tweenhills Stud in 2019, flew out of the blocks with his first crop of 2-year-olds to claim leading first-season sire honors.
The Widden Stud-based son of the late Northern Meteor was aided in landing the title by his brilliant daughter Sunlight, who won two of her first three starts before taking out the valuable Early Bird Ga Magic Millions 2-year-old Classic in January.
He sires a total of 10 individual winners, including group 2 winners Zousain and Lean Mean Machine, to finish the season with earnings of AU$3,208,694.
That figure was enough to hold off the challenge of Spirit Of Boom, who was the breakout success of the season with 18 Australian winners, including five at stakes level.
"There is no other words to describe Zoustar's first season other than phenomenal," said Widden Stud boss Ryan McEvoy said.
"His earnings of over AU$3.2 million would make him champion first-season sire in every single season prior, and to finish his first season in the top three 2-year-old sires by prize-money (to Snitzel and I Am Invincible) is unquestionably a sign of things to come.
"Brilliant Magic Millions and Silver Slipper (G2) winner Sunlight has been well-noted, but the likes of exciting colts Zousain, Lean Mean Machine, and Zoustyle highlight the fact that this is a young stallion of real substance and depth to his progeny."
In New Zealand, Waikato Stud's Savabeel once again held sway, claiming his fourth consecutive champion sire title.
Savabeel—who sired six group 1 winners during the season, including the New Zealand One Thousand (G1) and Two Thousand Guineas (G1) double with Hasahalo and Embellish, respectively—sired 59 winners and 12 stakes winners for prize-money earnings of NZ$3,396,125 (about $2.31 million).
"It's been another cracking season. His success, earned in so many countries, at the highest level, was huge," Waikato Stud's Mark Chittick said. "He is always giving mares a great opportunity and continually upgrading families.
"The unwritten rule is anything above 5% stakes winners to runners and you have a successful stallion. I think he's one of only three in Australasia at 10% or higher, which is freakish, really."
Leading sires 2017-18
Australia
1 Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) AU$29,243,613
2 I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) AU$15,908,840
3 Fastnet Rock (Danehill) AU$15,550,518
4 High Chaparral (Sadler's Wells) AU$14,735,494
5 Street Cry (Machiavellian) AU$12,849,160
Australia—First-season sires
1 Zoustar (Northern Meteor) AU$3,208,694
2 Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) AU$1,942,370
3 Sizzling (Snitzel) AU$897,897
4 Epaulette (Commands) AU$542,645
5 Fighting Sun (Northern Meteor) AU$402,055
New Zealand
1 Savabeel (Zabeel) NZ$3,396,125
2 Iffraaj (Zafonic) NZ$1,906,527
3 Darci Brahma (Danehill) NZ$1,813,983
4 Tavistock (Montjeu) NZ$1,704,727
5 Per Incanto (Street Cry) NZ$1,485,307
