Top of the Crops - Number 8
To mark the publication of the 56th edition of the Bloodstock Sales Review, Martin Stevens has compiled a top ten of the most profitable British and Irish-based yearling sires of last year. He have worked out each sires’ profitability index by dividing their 2020 yearling average by their covering fee of 2018, when the offspring in question were conceived. Here's who’s at Number 8.
In eighth place...
Starspangledbanner
2020 yearling ave: 53,126gns/€65,823
2018 covering fee: €15,000
Profitability index: 4.39
Starspangledbanner has led an eventful life: from landing Group 1 honours in his native Australia and emulating his sire Choisir to win at Royal Ascot, through suffering from subfertility in his early years at Coolmore but supplying Royal Ascot two-year-old winners Anthem Alexander and The Wow Signal in his small first crop, to returning to Australia and then making a remarkable recovery from his fertility issues and covering full books back at Coolmore in Ireland.
Starspangledbanner’s best runners bred since his return to Ireland include the top-class two-year-old fillies Aloha Star and Millisle, and buyers have been keen to add one by the sire to their teams. His most expensive yearling of 2020 was a half-brother to useful miler Kodiak West sold by Ballyhimikin Stud to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for 360,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 2.
Check back tomorrow to see which stallion is at Number 7.
The Bloodstock Sales Review is available to buy at https://bettrendsshop.co.uk/.