Yulong’s prolific Australian sire Written Tycoon has taken out Australia’s 2020/21 General Leading Sire by earnings title for the first time, with a clear $1.3million margin ahead of his competition.
Having been crowned Victoria’s Champion Sire for the past five seasons, this national win is a fitting title as he returns to Victoria after 12 months in NSW’s Hunter Valley at Arrowfield Stud. Ending the four-year reign of Snitzel, Written Tycoon also becomes the first Victorian sire to claim the title in more than 40 years.
Written Tycoon finishes the season with 379 runners to 193 (12) winners, 313 (17) wins and $17,035,983 in earnings.
He beat Yarraman Park Stud’s I Am Invincible, who finished the season with 358 runners for 208 (12) winners, 335 (17) wins and $15,735,576 in earnings.
Arrowfield Stud’s now pensioned stallion Not A Single Doubt, rounded out the Top 3 with 236 runners, 103 (8) winners, 150 (10) wins and $15,639,605 earned.
Bred by Daandine Pastoral in Queensland and standing just over 16 hands, Written Tycoon (Iglesia {Last Tycoon} x Party Miss {Kenmare}) began his racing career with a win on debut as a 2-year-old. He then finished second over 1200m to Champion 2YO filly Fashions Afield, and beating Stratum, Manton and Media. He won the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes at just his third start.
At age three Written Tycoon resumed in the G2 San Domenico Stakes, finishing second to Media and beating home Snitzel and Stratum before finishing second again in the Listed Satellite Stakes. He retired from the track with two wins and three seconds from 11 starts.
With a pedigree free of the Danehill (USA) line, he served 118 mares in his first season. Crowned the 2010/11 Australian Champion First Season Sire, Written Tycoon spent his first eight stud seasons never standing for a fee higher than $13,750. He served one season in Queensland for Eliza Park before returning to Victoria in 2013 for Woodside Park Stud. His fee increased for $19,800 in 2015 where he also became the leading sire of two-year-olds, then $49,500 and $88,000. Following his last 12 months in the Hunter Valley, Written Tycoon has now stood, and left his mark in all three eastern Australian states.
As his star grows brighter, some of the country’s best mares have visited the consistent stallion, and the progeny of Written Tycoon continue to prove popular in the sales ring. His yearlings average $300,000 and sell up to $1.2 million.
Written Tycoon has had a career-best season, becoming the first sire in the last 25 years to sire two colts to win the two richest Group 1 2YO feature races in Australia with Capitalist and Written By. He also became the first sire in 44 years to sire the winners of both the G1 Thousand Guineas (Odeum) and the G1 Caulfield Guineas (Ole Kirk).
“In securing his first title, Written Tycoon has cemented himself as one of Australia’s best stallions and it is an absolute privilege to have him return to Victoria and join our roster at Yulong Stud,” Yulong Chief Operating Officer, Sam Fairgray, said.
“It’s fantastic to have a horse of his quality here and there is certainly a lot of excitement. We are really looking forward to the breeding season with him,” he said.
At the conclusion of this season, Written Tycoon has sired a total of 877 starters for 661 winners, including 27 Group and 42 Stakes winners, with a 75.4% strike rate of winners to runners. Of his individual stakes winners, 12 alone were claimed this season.
Written Tycoon will stand at Yulong in 2021 for a fee of $165,000 and joins fellow sires Grunt, Alabama Express, Tagaloa, Yulong Prince and Lucky Vega on the stallion roster.
