The exploits of I Am Invincible since the start of 2017 have been remarkable and he is poised to continue the run as the breeding season closes in on its September start.
I Am Invincible is  one of the most handsome thoroughbreds gracing the Hunter Valley.
 He was snapped up in early 2010 by Harry and Arthur Mitchell to stand at Yarraman Park in Scone from owner Ray Gall, who kept a 50 per cent share. His first service fee was $11,000 but astute shoppers landed  a covering fee for as little as $7700, with his price remaining at an advertised fee of $11,000 for his first four seasons.
The son of leading European stallion Invincible Spirit was marketed strongly by Yarraman and covered  140-150 mares in his first four years.
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He was an immediate success and breeders wanted to get on the bandwagon. In 2014 his service fee was $27,500 (including GST) and he covered more than  200 mares.
Fast forward and I Am Invincible is standing this season at $110,000 (including GST), up from $55,000 in 2015 and 2016 when the stallion's book was full with more than 300 mares.
The number of mares will be reduced to around 160 but he will still generate almost $18 million in services fees, and the reason behind the fee increase is his extraordinary sales-ring returns in 2017.
Starting with the Magic Millions Sales in January, a total of 121 I Am Invincible yearlings have been sold - culminating with last week's Inglis Easter Sales - for a massive $30 million-plus, for an average of about  $250,000 a yearling.
At Easter alone he had 13 yearlings sell for $6,49 million at an average of $499,231. Top price  was $1.6 million for a colt on day two. He also had the top price at the Inglis Premier Sales in Melbourne at $1.4 million a month earlier.
Following on from this was last Friday evening's inaugural Inglis Chairmans Sale for elite breeding prospects, and I Am Invincible was once again one of the major attractions.
Two lifetime breeding rights were offered and they sold to Kiwi Bruce Perry for $450,000 and Bangaloe Stud for $465,000.
There were also three broodmares with positive tests to I Am Invincible offered  for $450,000, $350,000 and $260,000. The stallion's involvement at the sale totalled $1,975,000.
Harry Mitchell has the unenviable task of selecting I Am Invincible's book of mares for 2017 and also gave Bloodlines a sound warning regarding the stallion's future.
"The crop of foals he currently has on the ground from his first mating at $55,000 are reportedly amazing from the breeders' feedbacks when his mares were upgraded and if that is the case his yearlings of 2018 are going to be headliners also," Mitchell said.
Freshman boom
On the subject of stallions, Australian breeders, particularly those on the east coast, have the biggest choice of freshman sires in Bloodlines' memory.
More than 30 newcomers to Australian breeding will be seeking to become future stars and there are plenty of racetrack superstars included.
Darley leads the way with five newcomers – Territories, Frosted and The Last Lion are shuttling in, with the local retirees being the crack sprinting duo of Astern and Holler.
Next follows Newgate Farm, which has outbid many of the major farms in its purchases of Capitalist, Extreme Choice, Flying Artie and Winning Rupert – all outstanding racetrack performers.
Queensland-based Aquis Farm i has followed up its million-dollar spending at the sales this year with the stallions Kiss And Make Up, Furnaces and Sweet Orange.
Arrowfield has added three shuttle sires to the roster – the Japanese superstar Maurice, European champion sprinter Shalaa, and Mikki Isle, who also hails from Japan.
Coolmore has added two to its overall tally of 13 stallions with American Pharoah heading its newcomers at a fee of $66,000, which has already resulted in a full book of great mares. The other is Air Force Blue, who has great sprinting credentials.
Twin Hills Stud, now owned by former Darley Australian manager Ollie Tait, has Bobbie's Kitten coming in from America to join Snitzel's son Odyssey Moon, previously owned by Mike Willesee, Bob and Jack Ingham and then Darley.
The US-owned Spendthrift Farm based in Victoria has doubled its number of stallions with Swear, a son of Redoute's Choice, and the former Aidan O'Brien-trained Hit It A Bomb, whose sire is War Front.
Vinery (Star Turn), Widden (Stratum Star), Newhaven (Xtravagant), Kitchwin Hills (Sooboog) are others in NSW standing new sires, while Rebel Dane retires to Swettenham Stud in Victoria, the same state as Woodside (Cable Bay), Â Sun Stud (Palentino) and Larneuk Stud (Wolf Cry).
South Australia will be home to Sir Prancelot (Cornerstone), while the group 1 winner Awesome Rock retires to Western Australia as does Vert de Grece, with Alpine Eagle to stand at  Armidale Stud in Tasmania.
Snitzel with the lot
Snitzel is clearly the highest-priced stallion  at stud in Australia at $176,000 (including GST) and there's little doubt he will be a sell-out judging on the racetrack deeds of his progeny this season.
Fastnet Rock's service fee has once again has been posted by Coolmore Stud as "private" with reports that last year his price was around the $180,000 mark and it will be most interesting to see what his cost will be.
The top-priced 10 stallions for 2017 are: Â Snitzel $176,00; Fastnet Rock private; Redoute's Choice $137,500; I Am Invincible $110,000; Exceed And Excel $110,000; Medaglia d'Oro $110,000; Not A Single Doubt $ 88,000; American Pharoah $66,000; Sebring $66,000; More Than Ready $66,000.
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