3 August 2024
The numbers 9, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 7, 6, 7, 6, 3, 3 do not mean a whole lot without context.
But if you were told each figure represented the number of DANEHILL (Danzig) line stallions present in the Leading 20 Sires in Australia each year since the 2011-2012 season, the numerals begin to paint a landscape.
Breeders cannot escape the dominance that DANEHILL has had on the Australian thoroughbred industry, but is his significance finally beginning to wane?
The most recent two leading first season sires have been shuttle stallions in JUSTIFY (Scat Daddy) and TOO DARN HOT (Dubawi) and will be sadly missed by a multitude of breeders with very limited options of accessing ‘proven stallions’ without breaking the bank.
For those that can afford I AM INVINCIBLE (Invincible Spirit) and ZOUSTAR (Northern Meteor), their success and fertility has ensured they have covered the best mares in strength and depth and warrant the benchmarking service fee (A$275,000).
What is interesting, if you were to buy into this theory, is if the sons of NOT A SINGLE DOUBT (e.g. FARNAN), EXTREME CHOICE (STAY INSIDE etc) and SNITZEL (SHINZO etc) can shake the trend and launch themselves into the Top 20 in years to come.
Alternatively, supporting the trend is an endorsement for the potential success of the I AM INVINCIBLE sire line through HOME AFFAIRS, TASSORT and alike, sons of ZOUSTAR or the impending results of WOOTTON BASSETT (Iffraaj) to name but a few. Perhaps ANAMOE (Street Boss)?
What is for certain is that Australia is in desperate need of outcross sire lines to support a broodmare population dripping in DANEHILL across its canvas.
Three Year Rolling Average of the number of Danehill line sires in the Top 20 Leading Australian Sires Table.
Left to right: (2011/12- 2013/14) through to tthe most recent three years (2021/22-2023/24)
8.33 / 8.33 / 8.33 / 9 / 9 / 8.33 / 7.33 / 6.66 / 6.66 / 5.33 / 4
Figures obtained from Arion Pedigrees.