King Colorado on the way to the barriers prior to the running of the Neds Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield Racecourse. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)
The strength and depth of Victoria’s flourishing breeding industry has arguably never been greater, with the state boasting a higher number of new stallions than New South Wales for the first time since 2020.
There were a total of 29 freshman sires announced for the 2024 breeding season, with 14 of them standing in Victoria and nine north of the border in NSW.
With more stallions than ever before currently standing in Victoria, allied to an increase in the number of VOBIS Sires nominations received, the industry is enjoying a sustained period of growth which is built partly on the success of the VOBIS program.
Widden Stud’s decision to purchase the Riddells Creek farm they had leased for the past two years is another feather in the cap for Victorian breeding, and is testament to the growing confidence the larger operations now have in the state’s product.
With exciting newcomer King Colorado, who won the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) at just his third career start, joining their roster alongside established stallions such as Nature Strip’s sire Nicconi, Widden are determined to make their mark in Victoria having produced countless champions from their Hunter Valley farm.
Further north in Nagambie, Adam Sangster’s Swettenham Stud has proudly punched above its weight for many years now, and their pin-up stallion Toronado has flown out of the blocks this season to lead the early sires premiership table on both the number of individual winners and overall wins.
Toronado has produced 30 winners from his 107 runners (CHECK) so far in 2024-25, putting him ahead of I Am Invincible (28 winners from 124 runners). His most notable performer this campaign is Extratwo (Ciaron Maher), who after winning at The Valley chased home Quintessa in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last Saturday.