IT is a big year for sires when they have their first runners, and it can be make or break in more ways than one.

Apart from the results on the racecourse, where precocity commands a premium and fashion demands instant results, any perceived lack of immediate success can impact in the autumn when the sire’s second crop face the auctioneers in the sales ring. The later the date for the sale, the better the chance of a stallion getting a lot of early autumn winners, which can have a positive impact in the auction ring.