The Autumn Sun heads 2026 Arrowfield Roster
Arrowfield Stud has today announced the 2026 fees for its 7 stallions, after 10 Group 1 victories by four Arrowfield sires during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
The Autumn Sun, sire of superstar Autumn Glow and dual Group 1 Guineas winner Autumn Boy, heads Arrowfield Stud’s stallion roster for the first time at a new fee of $137,500 inc. GST.
The five Group 1 winners from The Autumn Sun’s first three crops mark him as an emerging elite sire and he has plenty of work in progress including Group winner Autumn Break, multiple Group 1 placegetter After Summer and Sky Jewellery in Hong Kong.
His yearlings have sold consistently well in 2026 up to a top price of $650,000 achieved at Magic Millions Gold Coast by Tyreel Stud’s filly out of Pacific Dragon.
Arrowfield Chairman John Messara says, “The arrival of Autumn Glow from his second crop, and Autumn Boy from his third crop confirm our assessment of The Autumn Sun as a very significant sire for this part of the world. He is likely to finish in the top three or four stallions on the General Sires’ Premiership this season with half the runners of his immediate competitors.
“The Autumn Sun served a wonderful book of 178 mares in 2025 and we’ve backed our own judgement with 30 Arrowfield mares in foal to him because we believe he will succeed Snitzel and Not A Single Doubt as a champion sire son of Redoute’s Choice.”
Arrowfield’s new stallion for 2026 is Group 1-winning miler Lead Artist, by the in-demand sire of sires Dubawi from Juddmonte’s most celebrated family, founded by the ‘blue hen’ Hasili.
He will stand his first season at $27,500 inc. GST.
John Messara says, “I haven’t been this excited about a new stallion since we acquired Danehill from Juddmonte in 1989. Lead Artist fills the bill for me on every count, pedigree, performance and physique, and I know he is going to match what many other breeders are looking for too.”
Multiple Group 1 sire Dundeel has regularly made news in the past 12 months, thanks to his 15 stakes performers headed by Group 1 winners Idle Flyer (Queen of the Turf G1) & Femminile (subsequently sold for $1.5 million); his high-flying Group 1 sire sons Super Seth & Castelvecchio; and his 4th seven-figure Inglis Easter yearling, the $1.3 million colt out of Fiesta.
With 26 ANZ Group 1 performers – more than Zoustar – Dundeel ranks highly among Australia’s proven sires, and his large, superbly bred 2024 & 2025 crops will underpin the market for his 2027 foals. His 2026 fee has been set at $66,000 inc. GST.
New Group 1 winner Cosmic Crusader, $10 million earner Mazu and 10 other stakes performers have extended Maurice’s record in Australia where his 2026 yearlings have sold up to the $425,000 paid by Alexander Racing for the filly out of Mallory at Magic Millions Gold Coast.
Elite mares made up 70% of the books that produced Maurice’s current 2YOs, yearlings & weanlings. They give him a very solid platform to build on his excellent 12.5% Stakes Performers/Runners. He will stand at a fee of $44,000 inc. GST in 2026.
John Messara says, “Dundeel and Maurice are both thoroughly proven Group 1 sires in the ‘sweet spot’ of their prime time, when research tells us they will leave most of their best performers. That makes them tempting value at their new fees, and we will certainly continue to support them ourselves.”
Stellar Autumn Carnival performances by triple Group 1 winner Aeliana and Group 2 winner Verona Rose have cemented Castelvecchio’s high ranking among Australia’s Third Season Sires and his popularity with yearling buyers.
He averaged $300,000 at Inglis Easter and across the market he achieved a healthy average price of 6.3 x his 2023 fee. His top price of $600,000 was paid for the Edgy Style colt by the Waterhouse & Bott stable with Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
Castelvecchio’s 2026 fee is $60,500 inc. GST.
Champion 2YO and dual Group 1 winner Vandeek served a full book of 151 mares in his first season at Arrowfield and he returns from Cheveley Park Stud this coming Spring.
The best son of the remarkable Havana Grey, Vandeek’s pedigree has been updated by his half-brother Champion 2YO Colt Gstaad (by Starspangledbanner), winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf G1 & the Royal Ascot Coventry S. G2. Vandeek’s fee remains at $22,000 inc. GST.
The first yearlings by three-time Group 1 Classic winner Hitotsu have been positively received at auction with 50 of 56 lots sold across the market for an average price of 4.2 x his 2023 fee.
Buyers included his own trainer Ciaron Maher who signed for three Hitotsu yearlings including his top-priced $480,000 colt out of Angel Of Mercy at Inglis Premier.
Hitotsu will stand his 4th season at a new fee of $16,500 inc. GST.
Photo credits: Bronwen Healy, Darren Tindale, Georgia Young, Glenn Lee Thoroughbreds, Hong Kong Jockey Club, Rising Sun Photography, Edward Whitaker
