Home Affairs crowned champion freshman sire

The exact number of stallion titles Home Affairs’ first crop will earn him might not be known until Friday’s final day of the season, but there is one that has been in his keeping for several months.

Coolmore’s boom young gun will be a runaway winner of Australia’s Champion First-Season Sire award.

The son of I Am Invincible joined the likes of Danehill and Extreme Choice in producing a Golden Slipper winner from his first crop when Guest House won that race this year, but even without his $2.95m winner’s cheque he is a dominant winner of the award decided by prizemoney.

Four days out from season’s end, Home Affairs has 16 winners – the most by a first-season sire – from 44 runners who have amassed $4,948,300.

Next best is Newgate’s Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside, whose progeny have won $950,833.

Home Affairs’ winners come from a first crop of 145 foals, who were conceived off a $110,000 (inc GST) introductory fee, and Coolmore Australia principal Tom Magnier was thrilled to see the horse he and partners bought for $875,000 as a yearling hit the ground running at stud.

“I’m delighted for our partners in Home Affairs as he’s crowned Champion First-Season Sire,” Magnier said.

“He was purchased as a yearling in the first year we went out and sourced colts to race and to be able to reward their trust in such a way gives us all a great thrill.

“Home Affairs has been followed on by the likes of Shinzo, Switzerland and Private Life, so our partners have got a few irons in the fire yet, but to land Home Affairs straight away is what we dreamed of.

“We think he is a Champion Sire of the future and that his stock are only going to improve from two years to three years, so the future is bright.”

While Guest House is his star product to date, Home Affairs is also the sire of Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes winner Gin Twist, his other Australian Black Type winner.

Magic Millions National 2YO Classic runner-up Natural Fling and VOBIS Gold Rush winner and Listed placegetter Marffiano are others who contributed heavily to the earnings of his progeny.

Home Affairs remains a chance to add the Champion 2YO Sire title to his leading freshman title, trailing Snitzel by just $32,445 in that award, although his chances took a hit when his runner in Wednesday’s third event at Randwick – Saturday Party – was scratched.

Snitzel is represented in that $60,000 event by Threads, an $11 chance, and also has Albert Palais in Race 1 at Kembla Grange on Thursday, meaning Home Affairs’ hopes rest with his three youngsters nominated for races at Geelong and Scone this Friday.

Regardless of what happens in that award, Home Affairs has already had his fee more than doubled from the $82,500 he stood the past two seasons to $176,000 this year, when some elite broodmares will pay him a visit.

Guest House’s dam Flamboyant Lass, who Coolmore bought for $800,000 at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale earlier this year, will make a return trip with Zougotcha, Learning To Fly and Nimalee among others in his spring book.

Champion First-Season Sire 2025/26 (as at 28/7/2026)