Starman didn’t see a racecourse himself until the summer of his three-year-old season but quickly reached a very smart level of form and he stepped up again as a four-year-old when earning a peak Timeform rating of 125, marking him out as Timeform’s joint-highest-rated sprinter of 2021.

Starman stood for €17,500 in his first season at Tally Ho Stud in 2022, covering 252 mares according to Weatherbys’ Return of Mares. His most expensive yearling was a joint purchase by Al Shaqab and Amo Racing who went to 260,000 guineas for a colt from the family of smart sprinter Spycatcher.

Second in the market, and the only other sire at a single-figure price, is Supremacy at 7/2. He’s a son of a former leading first-season sire Mehmas and contributed to his sire’s first crop success with wins in the Richmond Stakes (also won by Mehmas) and the Middle Park Stakes, earning a Timeform rating of 118.

From the family of top-class sprinter Harry Angel, Supremacy failed to train on so well as that colt at three before retiring to Yeomanstown Stud for a fee of €12,500.

He covered 175 mares in his first crop and his top-priced yearling was a half-sister to US Grade 2 winner Quattroelle (by Mehmas) who’ll go to the States herself after selling to Wesley Ward for 270,000 guineas.

A’Ali (16/1) had a smaller book of mares than some of his rivals with 103 coverings, but he’s also a son of a leading first-season sire in Society Rock and showed plenty of speed and ability as a juvenile.

Best at around five furlongs, his three wins at two came in the Norfolk Stakes, Prix Robert Papin and Flying Childers Stakes, while he trained on at three for further success in the Sprint Stakes at Sandown and the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh, making into a smart sprinter with a Timeform rating of 118.

A’Ali stood his first season at a fee of £7,500 at Newsells Park Stud and his most expensive first-crop yearling, a half-brother to Prestige Stakes runner-up Prado, sold for 200,000 guineas.

Up to date details on all stallions can be found on the Weatherbys Global Stallions App

Paddy Power’s Leading First-Season Sire Betting

1/3 Starman

7/2 Supremacy

14/1 Space Blues

16/1 St Mark’s Basillica

16/1 Lope Y Fernandez

16/1 A’Ali

16/1 Palace Pier

20/1 Lucky Vega

50/1 Ubettabelieveit

50/1 Nando Parrado

66/1 Victor Ludorum

250/1 Bangkok

250/1 Alkumait

250/1 Japan

Prices accurate at 1500 GMT 30/01/2025

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