Snitzel throws down the gauntlet
Snitzel leads Australia's current General Sires' Premiership by earnings, stakeswinners & stakes wins. (PHOTO: Joan Faras)
Champion Sire Snitzel has emphatically thrown down the gauntlet to his rivals on the 2025/26 Australian General Sires’ Premiership with Fireball’s determined victory in the $2 million Inglis Millennium 1100m RL for a group of prominent owners led by James Harron Bloodstock.
The colt is stakeswinner no. 167, and the 64th 2YO stakeswinner, of Snitzel’s storied career, as well as his 11th ANZ black type winner this season.
With $14.2 million season earnings, Snitzel now holds a $2 million+ lead on the Premiership he dominated from 2017 to 2020. The Autumn Sun, Zoustar, Fastnet Rock & Per Incanto fill out the top 5.
Snitzel also holds top 5 spots on the Australian 2YO, 3YO & Broodmare Sires’ tables.
Fireball BURSTS through to win the Inglis Millennium for @cwallerracing with @mcacajamez in the saddle! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tnhP38baev
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 7, 2026
Jockey James McDonald said, “Fireball is a really good type…great credit to Chris [Waller], he had faith in the colt and said he is a very nice horse as you will see when he is put under pressure. He was put under pressure today and we saw how well he responded.”
Bred by Michael O’Keeffe from the two-time winner Advance Party (by Charge Forward from a Redoute’s Choice mare), Fireball was a $460,000 purchase from Yarraman Park’s Inglis Easter draft by the colt partnerships of James Harron Bloodstock & Tony Fung.
He is one of 4 stakeswinners, including Champion 2YO Estijaab, from only 22 runners bred on the Snitzel/Charge Forward cross.
Advance Party has a Dundeel yearling filly to be offered by Yarraman as Lot 614 in Tuesday’s session at Inglis Classic 2026. Now owned by Ronba Pty Ltd, the mare foaled a Maurice filly in 2025 and is in foal to In The Congo.
The double presence of Redoute’s Choice in pedigrees has now produced 21 stakeswinners by 10 different sires, including Zoustar (whose dam is by the legendary sire), as well as Snitzel’s sons Russian Revolution & Shamus Award.
Snitzel has two colts in Arrowfield’s Inglis Classic draft going through the Riverside ring on Monday & Tuesday; two Inglis Premier colts from Crossley Thoroughbreds & Newgate Farm and a stunning collection of 43 yearlings at Inglis Easter offered by 15 vendors.
