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Majority of fees reduced to support industry at challenging time.
Global breeding powerhouse Darley revealed its 2020 roster with the fees for their stallions designed to take into account the challenges the industry - and wider world - is facing due to the far reaching ramifications of coronavirus.
"We've been supportive in our approach to service fees for 2020 and we hope breeders can appreciate that and take advantage of a roster that has value, variety and quality," said Vin Cox, Managing Director, Godolphin Australia.
"We have a great bunch of stallions for 2020 and we continue to offer the most generous nomination fee terms in the business," he continued.
"The success of the breeders and buyers who support our stallions is our end goal."
After a highly successful year on the track and in the sales ring, Exceed And Excel (Danehill) sits at the top of the Darley roster and is the only stallion to have his fee increased from $88,000 to $132,000 (inc GST).
"Exceed And Excel's momentum on the racetrack - and in the sales ring - this season has been enormous. His progeny are winning serious races that add value with the likes of the Group 1 Sires' Produce, the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap," said Cox.
Exceed And Excel has sired nine stakes winners in Australia this season, headed by Group 1-winning duo Bivouac and Exceedance, while his progeny in the sales have been snapped up by some of the best judges in the industry.
At the sales this year, the stallion's 36 yearlings sold for an aggregate of $13,002,500 at average of $361,180, while his most expensive was a colt which sold to Hawkes Racing for $1.8 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.
Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible), whose fee remains at $49,500, is currently leading second-season sire by stakes winners with five of his progeny successful at black-type level this season. He will stand his sixth season in Victoria, alongside Street Boss (Street Boss) whose fee also remains unchanged at $27,500.
"If you look at proven sires at the same stage in their careers, Brazen Beau has two more than his own sire I Am Invincible and three more than Lonhro," said Cox.
"Street Boss's best books are coming through now and we're seeing that with the likes of Hanseatic and Valaquenta. Trainers, agents and owners have recognised this and paid significant sums for his yearlings."
The 2020 Darley roster of 19 stallions also includes newcomers Blue Point (Shamardal), Microphone (Exceed And Excel) and Too Darn Hot (Dubawi).
Too Darn Hot was crowned Europe's champion two-year-old colt in 2018 and Europe's champion three-year-old colt the following season and he will launch his Australian stud career alongside Blue Point, who landed a rare Royal Ascot double when he won the King's Stand (Gr 1, 5f) before adding to the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) to his record four days later. Both will stand at a fee of $44,000.
Also new to the roster is Australian Champion two-year-old, Microphone who won four times as a two-year-old which was capped off with a victory in the Sires' Produce (Gr 1, 1400m) in which he got the better of Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Kiamichi (Sidestep) and future elite level scorers Probabeel (Savabeel), Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) and Castelvecchio (Dundeel). The good-looking son of Exceed And Excel will stand his first season at $38,500.
Too Darn Hot and Microphone will stand at Kelvinside in New South Wales, while Blue Point will be based at Northwood Park, Victoria.
The roster is completed by proven sire Lonhro (Octagonal) and his outstanding son Impending, world champion Harry Angel (Dark Angel), young stallions who have already made their mark at the sales, including Territories (Invincible Spirit), Holler (Commands) and Kermadec (Teofilo). All have had their fees reduced by between ten and 33 per cent.
