Snitzel wins his 6th 2YO Sires’ Premiership
Snitzel's 2YO sons Campione D'Italia & Fireball (dark green & gold silks) were 1st & 3rd in the ATC Inglis Sires' G1 on 4 April. Two weeks later Fireball turned the tables as the pair ran 1-2 in the ATC Champagne S. G1. That's the 4th Group 1 quinella on their sire's marvellous record, not including Snitzel's historic Inglis Sires' trifecta of 2017. (PHOTO: Darren Tindale)
It wasn’t certain until after the very last day of the season, but the official statistics from Arion Pedigrees now confirm that Snitzel, the 2025/26 Champion Sire of Australia, is also the season’s Champion Sire of 2YOs with total earnings of $4,988,245.
It is Snitzel’s sixth Australian 2YO Sires’ title – matching the record of his grandsire Danehill – following his successes in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023 & 2025, and the fourth time he has completed the double, after 2017, 2018 & 2020.
And he’s done it despite not siring the winner of this year’s $5 million Golden Slipper G1, the race that frequently determines the 2YO Sires’ title, as it did in 2018, 2023 & 2025 when Snitzel stars Estijaab, Shinzo & Marhoona won it.
It’s a trend that Snitzel has defied twice before, in 2017 when Manhattan Rain’s daughter She Will Reign won the Slipper, and in 2020, when Farnan (by Not A Single Doubt) & Away Game (by Snitzel) quinella-ed the race.
More significantly, Snitzel heads the 2025/26 table by individual stakeswinners, with five: Group 1-winning colts Fireball & Campione D’Italia, Group winner St Gotthard and Listed winners Aurum Belle & The Next Episode. They compiled 8 Australian black type victories, one more than the 2YO progeny of Extreme Choice & Home Affairs combined.
“He’s a sensational horse…he’s beautifully bred and is a horse with a real future.”
– Jockey James McDonald, after winning the Inglis Sires’ G1 on Campione D’Italia
Add New Zealand-based filly Liguria (Colin Jillings 2YO Classic G3) & colt Zafar (Champagne S. LR) and Snitzel’s 2023 crop has already produced 7 stakeswinners (17%) from 41 runners.
Their record of 10 stakes wins matches that of his 2014 crop which also produced a pair of Group 1-winning 2YO colts, Invader & Summer Passage. Eventually, that crop produced 21 stakeswinners, including two more Group 1 winners (I Am Excited and Snitzel’s best racing colt, Trapeze Artist), and a further 12 stakes performers.
“The challenge came early enough that he had the opportunity to fight back and that he did. He’s obviously so tough and he’s been running in all the big races.”
– Jockey Tim Clark after winning the Champagne S. G1 on Fireball
This suggests that Snitzel’s just-turned 3YOs have a much bigger story to write. Ditto his final two crops, now 2YOs and yearlings, bred on his peak fee of $247,500 inc. GST and out of many of the best mares ever sent to him.
So for now, Snitzel’s 2YO statistics read: 878 runners, 330 winners and 69 stakeswinners (10 at Group 1 level) of 91 Group & Listed Races, for total prizemoney of $55.7 million.
Like every other key number of his already legendary career, updates are incoming!
