Widden Announce 2024 Fees and King Colorado Joins Our Roster

Widden Stud are proud to announce fees on a top class roster of 18 stallions spread between NSW and Victoria with our flagship sire Zoustar soaring to new heights in 2024 on the racetrack and in the sales ring.

The leading sire of winners in the world last year, Zoustar has powered onwards and upwards as the leading sire of Australian winners this season with 170 plus on the board earning $19.4million in prizemoney highlighted by 14 stakes-winners, four of them Group I winners Zougotcha, Joliestar, Ozzmosis and Climbing Star.

His phenomenal racetrack success has been reflected in the sale ring with seven yearlings this year selling for $1million or more and at Inglis Easter his 27 yearlings sold averaged $693,333 with his top seller the filly from Prompt Response that was knocked down for $2.2million.

“We have always had complete belief in the potential of Zoustar to become an Australian champion sire and we are delighted for all of our clients that have shared in his constantly evolving story of success,” said Antony Thompson.

“An increase in service fee in the financial climate we find ourselves needs to be measured and warranted and in the case of Zoustar he has truly earned it.”

Zoustar will stand this season at a fee of $250,000 plus GST.

His promising son Zousain has also been afforded a marginal increase off the back of some encouraging results with his first crop of two year-olds. He has sired seven winners headed by Group III winning filly Drifting, Group III placed Chateau Miraval and metro winners Zouna, Froebel Star and Dyer.

Zousain will stand at $25,000 plus GST

New to Widden Victoria in 2024 will be blue-blooded Group I winning juvenile King Colorado at a fee of $15,000 plus GST. The first Australian Group 1 winning 2YO to retire to a Victorian Stud in 4 years.

Born in Australia, but conceived in the Northern Hemisphere, King Colorado is the only Group I winning 2YO colt by Juddmonte Farm’s outstanding stallion Kingman, the sire of 75 stakes-winners worldwide, 10 of them Group I winners.

An elite son of Invincible Spirit, who runs at 11.4% SW to runners, Kingman has sired 22 winners in Australia, four of them stakes-winners that also include another Group I winner in VRC Oaks champion Zardozi.

“King Colorado won the Group I JJ Atkins at just his third race start and has a world class female pedigree stamping him as a serious sire prospect,” said Antony Thompson.

King Colorado is from stakes-winning More Than Ready mare More Aspen, a grand-daughter of US Group I winner Northern Aspen, who is in turn out of legendary Blue Hen Fall Aspen.

A limited number of shares are available for sale.

 

Widden NSW – all fees inclusive of GST.

 

Zoustar (Northern Meteor) $275,000

The leading sire of winners in the world last year, this season Zoustar is Australia’s leading sire of Group I winners (4), stakes winners (14) and winners (173) with earnings of $19.4million. He has dominated the sales ring with $40 million in sales and was the leading sire at Inglis Easter with yearlings selling for as much as $2.2 Millon and averaging just shy of $700,000 with 10 individual $1 million plus yearlings.

 

Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) $55,000

Leading second crop sire by winners and earnings over fellow second season sires Justify and The Autumn Sun. Trapeze Artist has sired Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas winner Griff in his first crop as well as Group winners Facile and Ducasse, not to mention new season juvenile stakes horses Fly Fly and Spywire.

 

Jacquinot (Rubick) $27,500

Dual Group I winner of the Golden Rose and CF Orr Stakes, the only sire to retire last year as a 3YO as a Group I WFA winner, he was able to defeat 11 individual Group I winners in both his Group I victories.

Jacquinot has been incredibly well supported in his introductory year covering 157 mares.

 

Zousain (Zoustar) $27,500

Sire of seven first crop winners headed by Group III ATC Magic Night Stakes winner Drifting, Group III placed Chateau Miraval and unbeaten colt Zouna with the promise of much more to come as he has covered 762 mares in his first four seasons.

 

Written By (Written Tycoon) $22,000

Sire of this season’s Group II ATC Silver Slipper Stakes winner Straight Charge and Ripcord a stakes winning, Group I placed million-dollar earner. Has had yearlings this year sell for up to $700,000 and averaged $430,000 at Inglis Easter.

 

Portland Sky (Deep Field) $19,800

Winner of the Group I MRC Oakleigh Plate as a 3YO following in the footsteps of champion sires Fastnet Rock and Snitzel, his first foals are nothing short of outstanding, having been well supported covering 197 mares to date, he is the only Group I winning son of Deep Field at stud.

 

Supido (Sebring) $16,500

With his oldest progeny now 4YOs, he has 59.3% winners to runners which is higher than many of his more expensive peers and has sired the winners of over $6million. He has covered 311 mares in the last two seasons indicating the best is to come.

 

Anders (Not a Single Doubt) $16,500

Anders will have his first runners this spring and has every opportunity to succeed covering 444 mares in his first three seasons with his yearlings selling for up to $330,000. He averaged $194,000 at Magic Millions in January with purchasers including Waterhouse/Bott, Star Thoroughbreds, Michael Freedman, Paul Moroney, Bjorn Baker etc.

 

Rebel Dane (California Dane) $11,000

Put himself on the map siring Golden Slipper winner and Champion 2YO Fireburn in his second small crop of foals and has nearly 5% Group winners to runners with his biggest and best crop of foals to hit yearling sales in 2025.

 

Widden Victoria – all fees inclusive of GST.

 

King Colorado (Kingman) $16,500

A lightly raced Group I winning 2YO by unbeaten juvenile and a 4-time Group I winning Champion 3YO Colt, Kingman – Sire of 75 stakes winners, inc. 10 at Group I level. Out of a stakes winning More Than Ready mare and from the family of Blue Hen Fall Aspen. The exciting King Colorado is a brilliant outcross stallion, completely free of Danehill.

 

Russian Camelot (IRE) (Camelot) $19,800

Dual Group I winner that has covered 373 mares in first three seasons and his first yearlings have sold for up to $250,000 and averaged over $94,000 across all sales. They have been purchased by astute buyers including Danny O’Brien, Griffiths de Kock, Anthony Freedman, Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young etc.

 

Nicconi (Bianconi (USA) $16,500

Sire of 29 lifetime stakes winners with earnings topping $92million highlighted by the world’s best sprinter and Australian Horse of the Year Nature Strip. Over 72% winners to runners with his yearlings this year selling for up to $270,000.

 

Doubtland (Not a Single Doubt) $13,200

Group II winner whose first yearlings have sold for up to $220,000 and averaged $168,333 at Magic Millions. They have been purchased by astute buyers including Hawkes Racing, Tony McEvoy, Gerald Ryan, Suman Hedge, Dean Hawthorne etc.

 

Dirty Work (Written Tycoon) $13,200

Group II winner who covered 373 mares in first three seasons and his first crop yearlings have sold for up to $260,000 and averaged $140,625 at Magic Millions. They have been purchased by astute buyers including Griffiths de Kock, Aramco Racing, John Thompson, Boomer Bloodstock, Ciaron Maher, Phil Stokes etc.

 

Bruckner (Snitzel) $11,000

A fast, good looking son of Champion sire Snitzel, Bruckner was a $725k sale topping Melbourne Premier yearling. His full-sister topped the 2024 edition of Premier when fetching $925k. A McNeil Stakes (Gr.3) victor over dual Group I winner Artorius, Bruckner was runner-up in the ‘stallion-making’ Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr.1) to Home Affairs. Covered an excellent book of mares as a freshman in 2023.

 

Gold Standard (Sebring) $9,900

Sired Group I winning 2YO Sheeza Belter in his first crop and from limited numbers has sired 7.6% stakes performers to runners with his biggest and best crop of foals headed to yearling sales in 2025.

 

Star Witness (Starcraft) $8,800

Sire of 100 or more individual Australian winners in each of the last six seasons and has sired 24 lifetime stakes winners with progeny earnings in excess of $74million including 11 individual million dollar earners.

 

Overshare (I Am Invincible) $5,500

Sire of this season’s Group I ATC Canterbury Stakes winner and $2million earner Lady Laguna and Adelaide MM 3YO and 4YO Classic winner Overstrike.