The battle to be crowned Champion First Season Sire in Australia this season is an intriguing one with Charge Forward in front on earnings and three other rivals tied on seven individual winners each so we thought it was worth having a closer look at this evenly matched group of sires.

In assessing the current crop we"ve elected to look to the past first and see what, if any lessons can be learned.

Past Winners of Champion Australian First Season Sire (earnings rounded down to the nearest $100,000)

The title of Champion First Season Sire is given to the stallion that leads the way on progeny earnings, but that horse is not always the same one that leads by winners or indeed stakes-winners so we thought it was worth looking at all three categories.

Since 2001, only three stallions have dominated across the board in General Nediym, More Than Ready and Exceed and Excel, while the other categories have yielded some interesting horses including champion sire Encosta De Lago.

What we can see is that every horse that has won the title has gone on to be a success at stud, so it"s certainly a feather you would like to have in your cap.

Current First Season Sires by Earnings (to May 16)

This is the year when a crystal ball comes in handy as broodmare owners attempt to work out which, if any of these horses, will be the ones that go on to fame and fortune and which go by the wayside.

Horses like Encosta De Lago and Lion Hunter emerged from the bargain basement to become leading sires and the first real hint of what was to come could be gleaned early from looking at a list just like this.

More Than Ready put the writing on the wall in no uncertain terms with his dominant first crop showing and while it took him a few seasons after that to consolidate his standing owing to lack of follow through, he"s well and truly at the top of the heap now.

A number of horses on this list have had their fee discounted this year or will remain pretty much on a par, apart from those seeking to move up from the bargain basement based on their encouraging runners to date, so for breeders that punt the right horse the results have the potential to be tenfold in three years time.

Story courtesy of Breednet