Cobbitty Equine stallions served 830 mares last season

Stallions based at Cobbitty Equine Farm, the giant NSW standardbred breeding nursery, served almost 830 mares across Australia and New Zealand in the 2025/26 harness racing season.

The figure represents about one-third of the expected total number of services in Australia for the season.

Topping the list was the three-time Miracle Mile champion King Of Swing, who served the largest book of his career with 199 services including 147 in Australia at a 90 percent conception rate. It was the fourth year in a row that the Rocknroll Hanover horse has served a full book of mares, demonstrating breeders’ confidence in the stallion on both sides of the ‘ditch’.

King Of Swing was recently represented by his first winner in New Zealand in the two-year-old Fanfare, who scored at Wyndham in a slick 1:58.3. 

Confederate, the fastest and richest son of Sweet Lou, served 185 mares including 134 in Australia in his second season at an excellent overall pregnancy rate of 85 percent.

With the double millionaire and world champion’s first foals already turning heads and such a strong breeder support behind him, there is genuine excitement around what Confederate’s future crops may go on to achieve on the racetrack.

Another son of Sweet Lou in Cannibal covered 123 mares in his second ‘down under’ season at an 88 percent early pregnancy rate with breeders impressed by the quality of his first crop of foals.

A royally bred stallion, Cannibal is not only a striking individual but also possesses a kind temperament, a trait he is already showing signs of passing on to his stock.

Huntsville, the leading sire of two-year-olds this season, continued to attract strong backing from breeders last season across both Australia and, for the first time, NZ. Standing via frozen semen, the stallion served 100 mares at a 79 percent early pregnancy rate in Australia.

On the back of his Bathurst Gold Crown and Tiara triumphs, Huntsville’s book is already filling fast for the upcoming stud season.

For A Reason, the foundation sire at Cobbitty Equine Farm, attracted 80 mares at a remarkable early pregnancy rate of 94 percent.

As the sire of the winners of $11.3 million at an average of almost $40,000 per starter, the Art Major horse has earned a solid reputation as one of the best value-for-money sires in the country.

Perfect Sting, a son of the world champion Always B Miki out of the world champion Shebestingin, created great interest among breeders in his introductory season.

The dual Breeders Crown winner covered a strong book of 77 mares at a conception rate of 80 percent, an excellent result for a first season sire under a frozen semen program.

Bettor’s Wish, the leading two-year-old sire on earnings in Australia last season and the sire of the 2YO Filly of the Year Wishing Belle, served a limited book of 41 mares via frozen semen in the closing season at an outstanding 88 percent conception rate.

Rated one of the most exciting, young stallions in the country, the Bettor’s Delight double millionaire has sired eight individual winners to date from 28 foals in his initial crop.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink