From new starters to stalwarts, the price is right for these 20 sires

New sires retiring to stud in 2018

£5,000 (€6,000) or less

A record of four wins from 30 starts does not do justice to the ability of Cotai Glory, a precocious juvenile who held his form over four seasons including when a neck second to Profitable in the King's Stand Stakes at four and third to Marsha in the Nunthorpe this year at five.

Still, if the son of proven sire of sires Exceed And Excel had won more often, he wouldn't be available for just €6,000 in his first year with noted kingmakers Tally-Ho Stud.

£5,500 (€6,500) to £10,000 (€12,000)

European breeders might not have heard too much about Spill The Beans before it was announced he would shuttle from Australia to the National Stud in Newmarket in 2018, but the more digging you do the more he looks a fair bet at a £6,000 fee.

The Group 2-winning sprinter has rarity value as the first son of sire sensation Snitzel to stand in Europe and he was the busiest new stallion in Australia last year, covering more than 200 mares, which pays tribute to his looks.

£10,500 (€12,500) to £25,000 (€30,000)

Every Flat breeder's aim should be to produce a horse like Highland Reel. He was a seven-time Group/Grade 1 winner who was placed in top-level company another seven times, displayed an iron constitution by clocking up air miles in frequent international raids, and not forgetting he won the Vintage Stakes, so has that two-year-old form that breeders hold so dear.

So his introductory fee of €17,500 at Coolmore looks a steal, especially as he is a Galileo brother to a fellow Royal Ascot winner in Idaho, from a sire-producing family to boot.

More than £25,000 (€30,000)

The best Racing Post Rating among the new boys in this price range belongs to , champion in Europe last year after winning the Prix du Jockey Club, Irish Champion Stakes and Champion Stakes.

He may have a less obvious pedigree – by Wootton Bassett out of a Maria's Mon mare – but with the stallion ranks saturated with Sadler's Wells and Danzig blood that could be construed as an advantage.

He will also be strongly supported by Haras d'Etreham, where he will stand at €35,000, part-owner SF Bloodstock and syndicate members.

Young and without runners (first covers, foals or yearlings)

£5,000 (€6,000) or less

Dark Angel fever shows no sign of abating, which should reinforce confidence in breeders to take a punt on his joint highest rated two-year-old at a fee of just €5,000 at Tara Stud next year.

Estidhkaar covered a large book of around 150 mares in his first season in 2017, and the resultant offspring should be precocious if they are anything like their father, so it might be no bad thing to have a yearling by him to sell during his debut season with juvenile runners.

£5,500 (€6,500) to £10,000 (€12,000)

It is approaching that notoriously difficult third season, when many stallions can struggle for support, for Hot Streak. But there are several reasons why the high-class sprinter deserves his fair share of mares next year at a fee of £6,000 at Tweenhills.

First, he is by the increasingly important Iffraaj, and second, his first crop of foals appeared to be in favour with pinhookers at the sales in he last month, with a fair average of around £23,000 and five lots sold for £50,000 or more.

£10,500 (€12,500) to £25,000 (€30,000)

Thanks to his tip-top form – beating Galileo Gold for a convincing victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas – and stunning looks, Awtaad was well oversubscribed in his first season at Derrinstown Stud this year, and his 120-strong book consequently contained 60 per cent black-type winners or black-type producers.

The son of Cape Cross is available at a fee of €15,000 again in 2018, when breeders looking to sell the offspring as yearlings could capitalise on the quality of that debut crop.

More than £25,000 (€30,000)

A £30,000 price for a sprinter of such brilliance and consistency as Muhaarar always seemed a bargain for top-end breeders, and that impression has been confirmed by the performance of his first foals to go through the ring in recent weeks, with 11 sold for a stonking average of around £220,000 and an even higher median of £231,000.

The fact that covering fee remains unchanged at Nunnery Stud in 2018 looks a gift to those who gain access to his limited book.

Young and with runners (first, second or third-season sires)

£5,000 (€6,000) or less

In a year when Dabirsim, Havana Gold and Society Rock hogged the headlines among the freshman sires, a strong showing by Red Jazzperhaps flew a little under the radar. The son of Johannesburg has supplied 22 first-crop two-year-old winners at a commendable clip of 35 per cent, with unbeaten wide-margin sales race scorer Snazzy Jazzy and €260,000 Goffs Champions Sale purchase Burgundy Boy among that number.

While Dabirsim and Havana Gold's fees have justifiably soared, Red Jazz remains very affordable indeed at €5,000 at Ballyhane Stud.

£5,500 (€6,500) to £10,000 (€12,000)

Now, it is undeniable that Poet's Voice has not achieved as much as a stallion as once was hoped. But there were signs of a revival in 2017, as he posted an admirable 29 two-year-old winners, his son Poet's Word emerged as a top ten-furlong horse and looks a Group 1 winner in waiting for 2018, and his yearling average in Europe recovered from around £25,000 in 2016 to £38,000.

A reduction in price to £6,000 at Dalham Hall Stud looks further enticement not to give up on the son of Dubawi yet.

£10,500 (€12,500) to £25,000 (€30,000)

The fact that Nathaniel is available at the same price at Newsells Park Stud next year – after supplying the exceptional Enable plus 11 other stakes performers in his first crop – that he commanded in his first years at stud when he was unproven, shows how bonkers the stallion market can be.

But it means those not swayed by the thrill of the new or the fashion for breeding here-today, gone-tomorrow two-year-olds can get into this beautifully bred Classic sire at a bargain £20,000.

More than £25,000 (€30,000)

Good value should not be confused with being low-cost, so while it might seem perverse to nominate Frankel, whose increased £175,000 fee at Banstead Manor Stud in 2018 is more than six times the average salary in the UK, he has proved himself one of the best young sires in the world and looks at this stage the most likely heir to his own exceptional father Galileo. It would be no surprise to see his fee soar even higher in the coming years.

One more established

£5,000 (€6,000) or less

From modest chances, in terms of quantity and quality, Hellvelyn has come up with the Group 3-winning fillies La Rioja and Mrs Danvers, and this year he kept momentum going with the Listed scorer and Group 3-placed Ardenode.

The Coventry Stakes winner covered his biggest and best book in the spring (64 mares and four black-type performers) and he looks an obvious choice for breeders operating on a shoestring at a price of £3,000 at Bucklands Farm and Stud again in 2018.

£5,500 (€6,500) to £10,000 (€12,000)

What more could you want from a £7,000 fee? Lanwades Stud resident Sir Percy was an unbeaten Group 1 winner at two; a Derby hero at three; has sired a steady stream of high-class horses, of which this year's Park Hill Stakes scorer Alyssa is the latest; has posted a laudable average price of around £31,000 at the yearling sales this autumn; and was represented by a 925,000gns breeding prospect purchase when Listed-placed daughter Oakley Girl was knocked down to Kerri Radcliffe at Tattersalls this month.

£10,500 (€12,500) to £25,000 (€30,000)

What a year for Derrinstown Stud stalwart Tamayuz: there were two new top-level winners in Blond Me and Precieuse, while Desert Skyline and Mustashry also struck in Group company. So it was no surprise that buyers could not get enough of his stock at the yearling sales this autumn, with his average price rocketing to around £71,000 from £38,000 in 2016.

In light of all that, a fee increase to €12,500 from €8,000 looks far from unreasonable.

More than £25,000 (€30,000)

Considering Teofilo has accumulated more than 110 stakes performers across both hemispheres and was represented by the high-class runners Ajman Princess, Eziyra, Massaat and Permian in 2017, it is hard to grumble with Darley holding his price at Kildangan Stud at €40,000.

The son of Galileo has his more expensively bred offspring coming through now, with this year's stakes-winning juveniles Mildenberger and Tantheem hailing from his first crop bred at a fee of €50,000.

Golden oldie

£5,000 (€6,000) or less

A new Group 1 winner in Ice Breeze and another Royal Ascot scorer in Snoano this year served to remind that Nayefstill has plenty to offer.

A brilliant talent in his racecourse pomp, he is the sire of 52 stakes performers and is growingly influential, with son Tamayuz excelling at stud and daughter Rayaheen having produced smart two-year-old filly Tajaanus. Breeders using him next year at £5,000 might consider wearing a balaclava and black and white striped top when they take their mares to Nunnery Stud.

£5,500 (€6,500) to £10,000 (€12,000)

Coolmore stalwart Rock Of Gibraltar received a book of 111 mares in 2015, including 17 black-type performers, so will have a fair-sized juvenile crop to go to war with in 2018.

An advertised fee of just €7,500 for a sire of 225 stakes performers including Mount Nelson and Society Rock, both Group 1 sires in 2017, looks tempting, especially perhaps for starting off a mare.

£10,500 (€12,500) to £25,000 (€30,000)

Few if any older sires of merit fall into this price range, so forgive a spot of rule-bending as Oasis Dream is a little younger and a little more expensive at £30,000 at Banstead Manor Stud next year; but his claims are certainly worth highlighting.

He is the sire of 15 Group/Grade 1 winners – including those of the calibre of Muhaarar and Midday – among 179 stakes performers. With large, well-bred crops in the pipeline he looks sure to add to that impressive resume.

More than £25,000 (€30,000)

There was so much to talk about with Acclamation in 2017: Aclaim and Marsha notching Group 1 victories and Expert Eye showing a hint of brilliance with a stroll in the Vintage Stakes; Marsha going on to sell for a record 6,000,000gns; son Dark Angel going from strength to strength as a sire; and a new yearling average high of around £113,000.

With that in mind, a fee increase to €40,000 at Rathbarry Stud in 2018 looks unlikely to deter mare owners wanting to breed a money maker of their own from him.

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