It's official, Widden Stud's Zoustar is the reigning Champion Australian First Season Sire for 2017/2018 and he was quickly back in a winning vein at Warwick Farm on Wednesday with three runners for an impressive winner in Charge and two second place-getters, all of them entered for the Golden Rose.

The best son of the late Northern Meteor, who was Champion First Season Sire of 2012/2013 for Widden Stud, Zoustar has done everything asked of him to date delivering 10 first crop winners of $3.2 million headed by his brilliant Group II winners Sunlight, Lean Mean Machine and Zousain.

Charge as a yearling

Two of those Group winners are prepared by Zoustar's former trainer Chris Waller, who also puts the polish on promising colt Charge.

Never worse than fifth in four previous starts last season in good metropolitan company, Charge seems a stronger, more focused individual this time around with two recent barrier trial wins ensuring punters sent him out favourite for this 1100 metre colts and geldings maiden.

Arrowfield's all-conquering Champion Sire Snitzel has made breaking records his dedicated profession.

He swept past his own Australian season earnings record back in February and is about to claim his second consecutive Australian General Sires' Premiership with a staggering total of more than $29 million. He also retains the 2YO Sires' and 3YO Sires' titles he won last season.

Snitzel

Snitzel's progeny have won almost twice the prizemoney of his nearest rivals I Am Invincible, and two-time champion sire Fastnet Rock, who have compiled outstanding seasons with career-best earnings in Australia. Despite that, they both fell short of Snitzel's record 2016/17 prizemoney of $16.2 million.

The sensational son of Redoute's Choice also tops the 2017/18 table by winners, wins and stakeswinners with 26 horses successful in Group & Listed company. That repeats his achievement with eight crops of racing age in 2016/17 and again equals Danehill's record, set with nine crops of racing age in 2001/02.

However, Snitzel's tally of 43 Australian stakes victories this season is a record he holds on his own, ahead of the previous mark of 36 stakes wins set by Danehill in 2004/05.

The quality of the performances put up by Snitzel's best domestic performers this season is impressive. Eighteen (69%) of the 26 are Group winners, with a standout performer in each age category: 2YO Estijaab, 3YO Trapeze Artist, 4YO Russian Revolution & 5YO Redzel. This quartet won six Group 1 races, the multiple winner being Trapeze Artist, successful against his own age group in the ATC Golden Rose G1, and then beating the older sprinters at weight-for-age in the ATC TJ Smith S. G1 and ATC All Aged S. G1.

With nine winners in the past seven days, Woodside Park's Written Tycoon has his foot to the floor as we race towards the end of the season which will see him sire more winners than he ever has before.

Written Tycoon enjoyed a breakout 12 months in 2015/2016 when his star two year-old Capitalist won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and Golden Slipper to give the son of Iglesia progeny earnings of $10.1 million and third place on the Australian General Sires List behind Street Cry (IRE) and Not a Single Doubt.

This season, Written Tycoon has another star colt running for him in Group I MRC Blue Diamond winner Written By and while his collective $9.7 million in earnings may not surpass his previous best, his 149 winners so far has been a personal best.

Record breaking Australian first season sire ZOUSTAR, part-owned by Qatar Racing, will stand at Tweenhills Stud in Gloucestershire for the 2019 breeding season.

Currently based at Widden Stud in New South Wales, Zoustar will shuttle to the UK next season where he will join the Qatar Racing stallion roster. European breeders will have access to the most promising young stallion in the southern hemisphere.

The Australian 3YO champion sprinter has made a sensational start to his stud career, siring three Group 2 winners in his first crop.