Breeding and Bloodstock

There could be real and meaningful change to the Australian breeding and bloodstock industries in 2025. Tim Rowe looks at what he thinks will be the five biggest stories of next year.

The last two champion first-season sires in Australia have been shuttle stallions. With Wootton Bassett and Lucky Vega posting early two-year-old winners, could this season represent a hat-trick? Is Australia in the midst of a shuttle stallion revival?

In this week's Rowe on Monday, Gandharvi Racing founder Kuldeep Singh Rajput speaks on his plans for 2025, Uncle Mo's legacy lives on after his death in Kentucky, the American plans to re-invigorate the foal crop, and Don Goodwin, the breeder of champion mare Verry Elleegant, is remembered.

Last year’s Group 1 Blue Diamond-winning colt Little Brose has found a home at stud, with the four-year-old destined to stand at Little Avondale in New Zealand.

Murray Webster’s Hopetoun Farm has defied the odds, breeding two horses who will contest Saturday’s Group 3 BJ McLachlan, a race that could prove to be a key pointer for the Magic Millions two-year-old race.

New South Wales breeder Bob Hannon is selling his small acreage thoroughbred property about an hour from Sydney’s CBD but the man responsible for the matings which produced Shamus Award and Amelia’s Dream won’t be lost to the industry.

While Australian foal numbers are on the decline, the foal crop in New Zealand is expected to remain steady in 2025 at around 3000, based on the impressions of the major studs from the 2024 season.