Was it just me or did anyone else raise an eyebrow at the size of certain stallion's books for 2004?

Mark Smith had the scoop on AAP Racing & Sports' Breeding Section

In brief the numbers were as follows:

At Coolmore

Encosta de Lago covered 207 mares including 17 stakes winning daughters of Danehill, 21 Group 1 winning mares plus 19 mares that have already produced Group 1 winners.

Fusaichi Pegasus covered a total of 346 mares; 193 in Kentucky and 153 in the Hunter Valley.

Choisir attracted 162 mares in Ireland and 176 in Australia.

Tale Of The Cat served 185 mares in the northern hemisphere and 150 in the southern.

Johannesburg, 175 mares at Ashford and 134 at Coolmore.

First season sire Hold That Tiger covered 199 mares at Ashford Stud (as well as 94 mares in his first southern season at Collingrove).

Danehill Dancer (152 Ire, 140 Aus)

Rock Of Gibraltar (147 Ire, 145 Aus).

Giant's Causeway (130 Kentucky; 145 Australia).

First season sire Hawk Wing (172 Ire, 102 Aus)

Mull Of Kintyre (159 Ire, 100 Aus)

Fasliyev (144 Ire, 113 Aus)

Catcher In The Rye (155 Ire, 101 Aus)

Royal Academy (90 US, 126 Aus)

High Yield (138 US, 77 Aus)

Spinning World(85 Ire, 105 Aus).

Other Coolmore owned stallions:

Willowbend Stud's Monashee Mountain (118 Ireland; 144 Australia)

Blue Gum Farm's Statue Of Liberty (151 Ireland; 103 Aus) and King Charlemagne (89 Aus, 131 Ire).

At Vinery:

More Than Ready served 151 mares in Kentucky and 146 at Scone

Red Ransom covered 128 mares in Australia and 140 mares at Darley Stud in England.

At Darley:

Fantastic Light (140 Aus, 145 GB)
Dubai Destination (139 Aus, 142 GB)
King's Best (138 Aus, 150 Ire)
E Dubai (130 Aus, 143 US)
Noverre (128 Aus, 138 Ire)
Tobougg (129 Aus, 134 Ire)
Street Cry (121 Aus, 129 US)
Xaar (119 Aus, 129 Ire)
Grandera (113 Aus, 76 Jpn)
Lujain 83 (77 GB)
Elusive Quality 87 mares (140 US).
Reset 146 mares

At Arrowfield

Falbrav covered 98 mares (144 Jpn)
Hussonet 144 mares (83 US)
Orientate 58 mares (115 US).

At Widden Stud

King Cugat [Lane's End] (92 Aus, 45 US)
Belong To Me [Lane's End] (64 Aus, 103 US)
Anabaa (101 Aus, 87 FR)
General Nediym 170 mares.

In Victoria

Invincible Spirit (72 Aus, 114 Ire)
Distant Music (102 Aus, 52 Ire)
Grass Wonder (73 Aus, 131 Jpn)
Beckett (104 Aus, 33 Ire)
Black Hawk (51 Aus, 80 Jpn)
Val Royal (48 Aus, 60 Ire)
Century City (26 Aus, 72 US)
Testa Rossa (150 mares Australia; 20 mares France)

A few figures from Queensland as well:

Sequalo 175 mares
Hayil 118
King of Danes 150
Falvelon 129
Show A Heart 160
Clang 78

Whilst a number of these stallions' fees are priced at a level the market can well sustain in terms of average ROI for a breeder, I'm wondering where all the vendors are expected to come from to purchase the progeny of the six-figure service fee sires; particularly when you consider that we are not talking about just a handful of yearlings.

I guess we will just have to wait and see.