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Eleven stallions produce Australia’s top 11 rated horses of the season
The 2021/22 racing doesn't end until Sunday, but it is safe to assume the highest-rating performances of the season have been registered.
A look at who has returned them highlights a fascinatingly even spread of stallions represented.
Eleven horses posted a rating of at least 124 on Australian tracks during the 2021/22 season and all were by different stallions.
Widden Stud is home to the stallion who produced Australia's highest-rated horse with Nicconi's Nature Strip rating 130 in both the T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) and Darley Sprint Classic (1200m).
Nature Strip went even better than that in England, rating 131 in the King's Stand Stakes (1000m).
Incentivise headlined a stunning season for Shamus Award – which resulted in Rosemont Stud upping his 2022 fee to $88,000 – with the former Queensland gelding rating 129 in the Caulfield Cup.
The next two underline the mix of the list. Third is Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant (127), a daughter of inexpensive Kiwi stallion Zed, followed by Home Affairs (126), a son of I Am Invincible, who will be crowned champion sire and this year stand for $247,500 at Yarraman Park.
Eduardo, a son of Host, who died in early 2020, also returned a rating of 126 and rounds out the top five.
Home Affairs' peak rating came in the Black Caviar Lightning, which made him the highest-rated three-year-old of the season, one point superior to Anamoe (Street Boss).
Seven other 3YOs rated at least 120 for the season with Maurice the only with multiple representation; Doomben Cup winner Mazu (122) and dual Derby and Australian Guineas winner Hitotsu (120).
The Arrowfield Stud stallion will be crowned leading second sire premiership.
Fireburn's 118, returned in both the Golden Slipper and ATC Sires', was the best rating returned by a juvenile, which was a triumph for the now-Widden-based Rebel Dane.
Snitzel had three of 18 juveniles to rate at least 108 for the season – Best Of Bordeaux (115), Magic (110) and Williamsburg (109) – one of only two stallions with more than two runners in that bracket.
The other was his son, Newgate resident Russian Revolution, the sire of Rise Of The Masses (109), Revolutionary Miss (108) and Russian Conquest (108), who will be crowned leading first season sire.
Highest-rating performances 2021/22
130: NATURE STRIP (Nicconi)
129: INCENTIVISE (Shamus Award)
127: VERRY ELLEEGANT (Zed)
126: EDUARDO (Host)
HOME AFFAIRS (I Am Invincible)
125: ANAMOE (Street Boss)
MASKED CRUSADER (Toronado)
124: I'M THUNDERSTRUCK (Shocking)
LOST AND RUNNING (Per Incanto)
THINK IT OVER (So You Think)
ZAAKI (Leroidesanimaux)