Widden Stud's headline act Zoustar will return to a service fee of $154,000 (inc GST) in 2021 as the two-state operation confirmed prices for its entire 21-strong stallion roster across New South Wales and Victoria.

The uncertainty surrounding a looming COVID-19 crisis saw Zoustar's 2020 fee drop to $121,000, but with plenty of confidence back in the market and some outstanding results for his progeny both on the track and in the sales ring, he goes back to his pre-pandemic price in 2021.

Zoustar, who also shuttles to Tweenhills Stud in Great Britain, has had 13 stakes winners globally since August 1, highlighted by the G1 Newmarket H. winner Zoutori, who is the leading earner of his Australian progeny in 2020/21.

At 10 years of age, Zoustar is the youngest stallion in the Top 10 on the Australian Sires' Table, with his progeny earning over $10 million this season.

His current crop of yearlings have also hit the mark with buyers, with 110 sold at a career-high average of $266,695, including 24 at an average of $390,625 at this month's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

That list included a colt out of Lady Jivago (Beneteau) offered by Widden, which sold for a record price for the stallion of $1.25 million. He is one of seven $1 million-plus yearlings for Zoustar, three of which have come in 2021.

Newgate’s massive investment in its stallion roster returned another bumper dividend at Randwick on Saturday when Capitalist’s high-priced youngster Captivant struck a winning blow in the G1 Champagne S.

Henry Field’s Newgate shares in the ownership of the G1 Moet & Chandon Champagne S. winner Captivant and is blessed with an abundance of young stallion talent with Capitalist now matching the feats of his youthful associates Extreme Choice and Flying Artie.

Through an outstanding autumn for the Hunter Valley farm, Extreme Choice’s son Stay Inside claimed the G1 Golden Slipper S. while Flying Artie sired the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Artorius.

Newgate is also involved with a number of partners in the ownership of all three Group 1-winning colts so the future quality of the roster is assured when the time comes for the trio to move on to the second stages of their careers.

It has already been a big 2021 for Leneva Park, with its latest milestone the announcement of service fees for its two foundation stallions. We caught up with General Manager Mick Sharkie to discuss the road ahead for the burgeoning Victorian breeding operation.

There is a palpable sense of excitement in Leneva Park General Manager Mick Sharkie's voice as he drives the highways of Victoria inspecting prospective broodmares to purchase to support the stud's two stallions, Fierce Impact (Jpn) and Royal Meeting (Ire).

This week Leneva Park, founded by ambitious young businessman Luke Vandersluys as a pre-training business that has now evolved into a breeding operation as well, reached its latest significant milestone, when it confirmed the service fees for Fierce Impact ($16,500 inc GST) and Royal Meeting ($11,000 inc GST) for 2021.

With a strong strategy for growth in place, something Vandersluys has experience with in his burgeoning Countrywide Asphalt business, the time has come for the hard work to be done to ensure that both stallions get the right launching point.

With the prices up on the board, the nominations team are flat out fielding calls from prospective clients, while Sharkie is putting in the miles to assess potential additions to the Leneva Park broodmare band, with the advice of some key mentors very much in the forefront of his mind.

"If you are going to stand stallions, you have to recruit the right mares to send to them. That's something that I've really learned with by friendship with Toby Liston and the Liston family, particularly what they've done in the past 10 years at Three Bridges," Sharkie told TDN AusNZ.

20th April, 2021

Champion stallion Written Tycoon will headline Yulong Stud's Victorian-based stallion roster for the 2021 season in a huge coup for the emerging thoroughbred powerhouse.

Written Tycoon moved from Woodside Park to Arrowfield Stud in 2020, but a decision from shareholder Woodside Park to step away from its stallion holdings saw a change in the ownership structure. That allowed Yulong to swoop and acquire the established Group 1 producer to stand alongside its young stallions Yulong Prince (SAF), Alabama Express and Grunt (NZ) in 2021.

While Yulong, which is owned by Chinese businessman Yuesheng Zhang, has been a significant investor in the Australian industry in the past five years in terms of bloodstock, racing and infrastructure, the decision to acquire one of Australia's hottest and in-demand stallions takes that commitment to another level.

“Written Tycoon is one of Australia’s best stallions, it is an absolute privilege to welcome him back to Victoria, and have him join our roster at Yulong Stud,” Yulong’s Chief Operating Officer, Sam Fairgray, said.

“We are greatly appreciative to Sheriff Iskander for entrusting us with Written Tycoon in the twilight of a truly extraordinary career, where the best is yet to come.”

Written Tycoon has gone from strength to strength, particularly in the past five years since his first star and Group 1 winner Capitalist hit the track. Having initially stood or $8250 (inc GST) in his first season in 2007, he is now one of the most in-demand stallions in the country, having produced 42 stakes winners, including 11 Group 1 winners.