This weekend sees the running of the Caulfield Guineas – long lauded as a "Sire Making" race, so we thought we'd have a look at just which races do actually point to the top sires, and you could mount a strong argument the best race isn't even a Group One.

For the point of the exercise we went back 10 seasons and took the leading sires by prizemoney for the General, First Season and Second Season tables, and in the event the leading stallion raced overseas we replaced it with the highest ranked horse that raced in Australia – 19 stallions in total.

Then we simply took their careers and compared firstly the races they competed in, and then the races they won.

As far as races where the best stallions compete, the top races are indeed the Golden Slipper and Caulfield Guineas but winning is not necessarily a pre-requisite.

Boom Written Tycoon colt Written By didn't disappoint his fans when he returned to the track with a successful start to his spring campaign over 1000 metres at Caulfield on Saturday.

Written Tycoon - image Grant Courtney

The Victorian sired Blue Diamond Stakes winner, Australia's highest rated 2YO colt last season, had not raced since running third in the Golden Slipper Stakes in March.

Woodside Park's James Price believes Written By is looking like good, if not better than last season appearing to be a stronger and more mature three-year-old.

Progressive staying mare Miss Admiration was twice placed in Group I Oaks races last season and the four year-old daughter of Sebring scored a well-deserved victory in the Group III ATC JRA Trophy at Rosehill on Saturday. 


Trained by Mick Price for a syndicate headed be Segenhoe Thoroughbreds in whose colours she runs, Miss Admiration as third up from a spell in the 2400 meter staying contest and won with authority, cruising home to score by a length and three-quarters with Jay Ford in the saddle.

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