Zoustar fee steady as Widden reacts to market

Widden has retained Zoustar’s service fee at $275,000 as he chases his first Australian sires championship, while 10 of the farm’s 20 stallions across two states have had price reductions on 2024.

Zoustar is second in the race to become Australia’s champion sire of 2024/25, but is only $530,000 behind Pride Of Dubai and is favoured to chase down his Coolmore rival with a greater weight of numbers over the final three months of the season.

Widden moved his price to $275,000 (inc GST) in 2024 and retained him on that price after a successful season in the sales ring and on the racetrack.

He has sired 12 Australian stakes winners this season, including Group 1 winners Joliestar and Schwarz while he had 26 yearlings sell for $500,000 or more, including the $2.6 million Widden-bred and consigned filly from The Actuary, who sold at Inglis Easter.

“Zoustar is a champion sire for both the racetrack and sale-ring and his progeny have the precocity Australian buyers expect coupled with the constitution to see them train on, with outstanding four year-olds Joliestar and Schwarz collecting Group 1 wins this season,” Widden principal Antony Thompson said.

“He has covered books of outstanding mares in recent years as his star has continued to rise and we believe he is well placed to establish his standing amongst the great Australian sires of this century.”

Responding to a more circumspect market, Widden has looked to cut the price of 10 of its 20 active stallions.

Trapeze Artist drops to $33,000 from $55,000, while the fees of Russian Camelot, Jacquinot, Bruckner, Nicconi, Portland Sky, Rebel Dane, Anders, Supido and Gold Standard were also reduced as Widden looks to “support breeders”.

Zousain remains at $27,500 while Written By is steady at $22,000 and Sweet Ride, Dirty Work, Doubtland, Star Witness and King Colorado are also unchanged.  

“Yearlings by Zousain, Written By and Portland Sky all sold well at the major Australian yearling sales this year off modest fees delivering great results for their breeders, ensuring they are looked after.” Widden’s Matt Comerford said.  

There are two new additions to the roster, in Southport Tycoon and Cogburn.

“We see Southport Tycoon as the natural ‘sire succession’ to Champion stallion Written Tycoon and he has been extremely well received by Victorian breeders since his announcement,” Thompson said of the multiple Group 1 winner who will stand for $38,500.

Speed machine Cogburn, who kicks off at $27,500, is Widden’s entry into the shuttle sire market.

“Cogburn is one of seven Group 1 winners by Not This Time, who is regarded as one of the most exciting young sires in North America attracting comparisons to champion Australian sire I Am Invincible for his meteoric rise at Taylor Made Stallions starting off from a modest fee of $US15,000 when he went to stud in 2017,” said Thompson.   

Overshare is the one absentee from Widden’s 2024 roster. 

Widden 2025 Roster:

NSW	2025 fee	2024 fee
Anders	$13,200	$16,500
Cogburn (USA) (NEW)	$27,500	N/A
Jacquinot	$24,200	$27,500
Portland Sky	$16,500	$19,800
Rebel Dane	$8,800	$11,000
Supido	$9,900	$16,500
Sweet Ride	$11,000	$11,000
Trapeze Artist	$33,000	$55,000
Written By	$22,000	$22,000
Zousain	$27,500	$27,500
Zoustar	$275,000	$275,000
Victoria	2025 fee	2024 fee
Bruckner	$9,900	$11,000
Dirty Work	$13,200	$13,200
Doubtland	$13,200	$13,200
Gold Standard	$5,500	$9,900
King Colorado	$16,500	$16,500
Nicconi	$13,200	$16,500
Russian Camelot (IRE)	$16,500	$19,800
Southport Tycoon (NEW)	$38,500	N/A
Star Witness	$8,800	$8,800