Vendors are arriving and many have begun parading in anticipation of the 2015 Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale, to be held on 3, 4, 5 and 6 May at Inglis Newmarket Complex in Sydney.

Uniquely, the Widden Stud in the Widden Valley, a spur off the south western end of the Hunter Valley, has two young sires in its historic stallion yards shaping up very good winner-getters who were not only brilliant Group 1 winning Australian racehorses, but also performers who turned in good efforts in one of England’s most prestigious sprints, the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot.

Five sires, all Australian products who have captured the annual Champion Australian Sire title on earnings, will be among the mouthwatering collection of at least 70 which will be shown to invited disciples of breeding and racing when Hunter Valley studs conduct their pre season Stallion Parades in the period August 21-25.

THE huge books of mares that fashionable sires serve this century, astronomical in size compared to those looked after by champion sires of the past such as Star Kingdom, Better Boy, Wilkes and Showdown, means that their goodness can be enjoyed by far more in racing and breeding.

The final Group I event of the Australian racing season was run at Eagle Farm last Saturday with victory going to three year-old Dehere (USA) filly Pear Tart, who delivered a valuable result for her owner Patinack Farm, so we decided it was time to reflect and see just who dominated at the elite level in 2011/2012 and where our Group I stars were sourced.