There has been much feedback contributed over the past week highlighting unrealistic service fees and stallions that seem to be overpriced, but what about value, is there any to be found?

While some service fees have gone up this year, many more have come down or remained on a par, so which sires do we see as offering a genuine chance of providing a breeder with a shot at three times service fee in three years time for a good style of yearling.

Given the positive spin being espoused in the media this week as regards the Australian economy heading towards recovery we can probably project that yearling sales in three years time will be stronger than they have been this year, albeit still a good margin from the heady days of 2007 and 2008.

Tried and true, Flying Spur at $55,000 is priced back in his comfort zone and given that he usually averages more than $150,000 at major sales and invariably throws an attractive yearling, he looks an obvious choice.

He has been over in recent years following his Champion Sire title in 2006/2007, but is one sire that is very consistent on the track and in the ring and is capable of producing a yearling that can go close to the million dollar mark.

Up and comer Dane Shadow has done the hard yards starting with a service fee of $12,100, then dropping to $7,700 for three years and then up to $16,500 las year.

Has done a good job from limited quality and numbers, plus he has an EI spike to help him along through what would normally be a sticky patch associated with a weak third book of mares, the bane of many promising sires coming from the wrong side of the tracks.

Also a plus that when selling in three years time, the crop preceding will be his largest and best so far with hopefully a good juvenile or two amongst them.

Throws an attractive yearling and only has to maintain his current level of popularity to offer a good return on his modest 2010 service fee of $16,500.

Northern Meteor was the most popular first season sire last year covering a huge book of 198 mares and while Gooree did support him strongly, so did a lot of the most astute breeders in the game.

He remains at $33,000 for his second season and if he stamps his stock in his own image, it"s hard to see that his second crop would not be popular even if he is not the leading first season sire come Easter 2013.

Another second season horse that I find intriguing is English Derby winner New Approach (IRE) who remains at $33,000.

An expensive yearling, who proved a phenomenally good racehorse - unbeaten champion at two and English Derby winner at three - New Approach is the type of sire that may appeal to yearling buyers if the current trend back towards more classic staying types continues.

With the High Chaparral case example looming large in the minds of breeders and buyers, New Approach certainly fits that mould and may well find a market if he produces an appealing type.

The good thing about him is that as a rig, he is being kept to very limited books and covered just 72 mares last spring, a significant number of them outside mares owned by some very savvy breeders, so there will be no glut of his stock on the market even if he becomes a superstar.

First season sires are always an interesting option and invariably there are good returns for the horse who finds favour with buyers.

There are many this year that make plenty of appeal, but if I have to nominate one, my personal favourite from this year"s group is probably Starspangledbanner, who will stand at a fee of $33,000.

Starspangledbanner was a good looking yearling, who was the fourth highest priced colt for his sire in 2008 and then went straight to the races as a spring two year-old, winning on Cox Plate day when making his debut.

He trained on at three and was dominant in the spring winning the Group One MRC Caulfield Guineas at 1600m, before turning in three outstanding runs during the autumn in the elite open age sprints including a win in the Group One MRC Oakleigh Plate before his transfer to Ireland.

This colt is similar in every way to his sire Choisir and if he can deliver at Royal Ascot it will be the icing on the cake and if not it doesn"t matter, he"s still the same horse he was before he left.

The New Zealand option is one being considered by many breeders including the well known Sydney based bloodstock identity Jason Abrahams, who was interviewed on TVN"s Connections program earlier this week.

With 11 Easter/Magic Millions standard mares going to stud this spring, Mr Abrahams is looking at New Zealand as a viable alternative for some of his mares given the leading sires over there Zabeel ($110,000), O"Reilly ($55,000), Pins ($44,000) and Pentire (IRE) ($38,500) are more than reasonably priced and the exchange rate is favourable.

Story courtesy of Breednet.com.au