Australia and New Zealand 2020/21 season summary 

7 min read
We wrap up the 2020/21 season to see who came out on top for Champion honours in their respective categories.

*All statistics and prizemoney figures are correct at time of publication

Champion Australian General Sire

Yulong Stud stallion Written Tycoon amassed $17,004,493 in prizemoney from 379 runners to claim his first Champion Australian General Sire award.

He was responsible for Group 1 winners Ole Kirk, Odeum and Pippie along with a further six individual Group winners.

Written Tycoon will stand the upcoming breeding season at Yulong Stud for a service fee of $165,000 (inc GST).

Written Tycoon | Standing at Yulong

Champion New Zealand General Sire

Savabeel continued his stallion dominance with a seventh consecutive Grosvenor Award.

He also claimed a sixth Centaine Award for worldwide progeny earnings and regained his Dewar Award for combined Australian and New Zealand progeny earnings.

The star Waikato Stud resident’s progeny headlined by G1 New Zealand Oaks Amarelinha (NZ) brought home NZ$2,986,642 in prizemoney on New Zealand shores alone.

His more prolific offspring Probabeel (NZ) and Mo'unga (NZ) combined for three Group 1 victories on Australian soil.

He will stand the upcoming breeding season for a service fee of NZ$100,000 (inc GST).

Savabeel | Standing at Waikato Stud

Leading Australian First Season Sire

Newgate Farm stallion Extreme Choice narrowly denied barnmate Capitalist despite being represented by just 15 first-crop runners compared to the latter’s 61.

His record-breaking figure of $3,392,085 in prizemoney was buoyed by G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Stay Inside and G2 BRC Sires’ Produce S. winner Tiger Of Malay, who combined for $3,063,600.

Extreme Choice | Standing at Newgate Farm

Leading New Zealand First Season Sire

The Allan Sharrock-trained Yeaboi’s (NZ) second-placed performance in the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder S. on the final day of the season was enough to see Haunui Farm’s Belardo (Ire) overhaul Newgate Farm phenom Capitalist by just NZ$1626.

He amassed NZ$208,194 in prizemoney from 20 individual runners and was responsible for the Listed Welcome S. winner Avonallo (NZ).

Belardo will stand the upcoming breeding season at Haunui Farm for a service fee of NZ$10,000 (plus GST).

Belardo (Ire) | Standing at Haunui Farm

Leading Australian Second Season Sire

Vinery Stud’s Headwater followed the lead of star Widden Stud sire Zoustar by kickstarting his stud career as a leading first and second-season sire.

His progeny amassed $3,552,866 in prizemoney and his star performers were the G2 Percy Sykes S. winner Jamaea and Listed Manihi Classic winner Mileva.

He will stand for a service fee of $16,500 (inc GST) at Vinery Stud this upcoming breeding season.

Headwater | Standing at Vinery Stud

Leading New Zealand Second Season Sire

Mapperley Stud stallion Contributer (Ire) rose to the top of the second season standings after his progeny accumulated NZ$354,916 in prizemoney.

The G1 Ranvet S. winner was best represented by G2 Lowland S. winner and G1 New Zealand Oaks third placegetter Llanacord (NZ).

Contributer (Ire) | Standing at Mapperley Stud

Leading Australian Broodmare Sire

Encosta De Lago bettered Redoute’s Choice in this category for the first time in two seasons.

He has now been the best-performed Australian broodmare sire in five of the last seven seasons.

The progeny of his daughters amassed $29,738,766 in prizemoney. The Everest winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) would account for $7,132,000 of that total.

Classique Legend is out of Encosta De Lago’s maiden winner Pinocchio.

The late Encosta De Lago

Leading New Zealand Broodmare Sire

Zabeel (NZ) returned from a two-season hiatus to claim his sixth success in this category after seeing the progeny of his daughters bring home NZ$3,557,355 in prizemoney.

His most prolific money-spinner was the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and R. Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic winner Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), who himself is out of Zabeel’s one-time winner Toss Up (NZ).

Aegon would go on to win the G2 Hobartville S. at Rosehill Gardens before finishing outside the placing in the G1 Randwick Guineas and G1 Doncaster H.

It is also worth mentioning that Zabeel finished fourth overall on the Australian broodmare sires' table with $18,145,760 in earnings.

Leading Australian 2-Year-Old Sire

The record-breaking success of Extreme Choice’s first crop, headlined by G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Stay Inside and G2 BRC Sires’ Produce S. winner Tiger Of Malay, saw him fend off barnmate Capitalist to finish top of the table in this category with $3,392,085 in earnings.

"Extreme Choice and Capitalist's barnmate and fellow first-season sire Flying Artie capped off a year to remember for Newgate Farm by finishing sixth in the standings with $2,056,595 in prizemoney."

Extreme Choice and Capitalist's barnmate and fellow first-season sire Flying Artie capped off a year to remember for Newgate Farm by finishing sixth in the standings with $2,056,595 in prizemoney.

Leading New Zealand 2-Year-Old Sire

Outstanding juvenile On The Bubbles gifted Darley stallion Brazen Beau top billing in this category with a debut season that concluded with a dominant 3l romp in the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S.

The Jamie Richards-trained prospect was one of two Brazen Beau juveniles to step out in New Zealand and accounted for NZ$743,550 of his progeny’s NZ$777,750 in earnings.

Brazen Beau will stand for $49,500 (inc GST) at Darley Northwood Park this upcoming breeding season.

Brazen Beau | Standing at Darley

Leading Australian 3-Year-Old Sire

Written Tycoon’s ascension to the top of the Australian 3-Year-Old Sire standings was buoyed by the brilliance of his 3-year-old crop, which featured G1 Golden Rose S. and G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Ole Kirk and G1 Thousand Guineas winner Odeum.

The duo accounted for $2,963,400 of the $8,227,435 in prizemoney accumulated by his 115 individual 3-year-old winners.

Leading New Zealand 3-Year-Old Sire

The success of G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Amarelinha ensured that Savabeel fended off Sacred Falls (NZ) by securing NZ$1,311,232 in prizemoney compared to the latter's NZ$1,095,400.

While the aforementioned Jamie Richards-trained filly accounted for NZ$518,700 of his prizemoney total, a further 19 individual winners added to the tally, including G1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic winner Concert Hall (NZ).

Australian Trainers’ Premiership

Chris Waller reigned victorious over the Australian training ranks for a third consecutive season and in turn broke his previous record of 339 winners in a season with 340.5 total triumphs.

Waller’s runners brought home $44,290,548 in prizemoney and saluted at a strike rate of 15 per cent.

New Zealand Trainers’ Premiership

Jamie Richards secured a second consecutive national trainers’ premiership and ultimately bettered his previous record of 101 winners by 59 to bring his total to 160.

The Te Akau-based horseman saw his runners bring in a record NZ$5,969,645 in prizemoney.

Jamie Richards

Australian Jockeys' Premiership

Chris Parnham managed to secure his 200th winner and first Australian Jockeys' Premiership on the final day of the season with victory aboard the Luke Fernie-trained Mervyn (Henny Hughes {USA}) in the fifth event at Belmont.

The 24-year-old went toe to toe with NSW-based jockey Blaike McDougall for most of the season and ultimately pulled away over the final fortnight to land the premiership by six wins.

New Zealand Jockeys' Premiership

Danielle Johnson denied Lisa Allpress a third consecutive premiership by booting home 151 winners from 824 rides at a strike rate of 5.46 per cent.

The 30-year-old horsewoman's superb season featured her 1000th career winner in February.

Danielle Johnson | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell

Australian Leading Group 1-winning horse

Star mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) cemented her Champion status this season by winning five Group 1 contests.

The Chris Waller-trained galloper kickstarted her spring campaign last August with victory in the G1 Winx S. over 1400 metres before going on to win the G1 Turnbull S. and G1 Caulfield Cup. She would finish fourth and seventh in the G1 George Main S. and G1 Melbourne Cup respectively.

She returned in fine fettle during her Sydney campaign with second-up success in the G1 Chipping Norton S. before turning the tables on archrival Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) in the G1 Ranvet S.

Her campaign and season would conclude with a hard-fought second placing behind the aforementioned international in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. over 2000 metres.

New Zealand Leading Group 1-winning horse

Star Jamie Richards-trained mare Avantage (Fastnet Rock) took her tally to nine Group 1 wins after reigning supreme at the highest level on five occasions this season.

The 5-year-old was forced to settle for minor placings at Group 1 level on three occasions during the spring but came back in 2021 on another level, winning the G1 Sistema Railway S. on New Year’s Day before securing another three Group 1 victories between 1200 and 1600 metres in succession.

She would fall victim to the return of Champion stablemate Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) in the G1 Bonecrusher S. but bounced back to round out her season with victory in April’s G1 Thoroughbred Breeders' S. over 1600 metres.

Avantage
Verry Elleegant
Chris Waller
Jamie Richards
Written Tycoon
Savabeel
Extreme Choice
Belardo
Contributer
Headwater
Chris Parnham
Brazen Beau
Danielle Johnson