In the breeding barn the Stud Book reported that at least a further 700 foals were due to be born in 2005 bringing anticipated foal numbers to 18,000.

The term 'super stud' took on a whole new meaning with Redoute's Choice setting an Australian service level (AUD$220k) and a slew of stallions serving massive books across two hemispheres: Fusaichi Pegasus 346, More Than Ready 297, Fantastic Light 285, Hussonet 227, Anabaa 188, Verglas 244, and Testa Rossa 170.

In the US, the trend of more stallions servicing at least 100 mares in a season continued with a record 126 stallions covering at least 100 mares. In terms of number of mares bred, Lion Heart led the way with a record 233 mares in his 1st season of service. Another newcomer - Chapel Royal -covered 222 mares. Both stallions stand at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky, which hosts the top 6 stallions by mares bred in 2005. Is this just AI stats at "live cover" prices?

Not to be outdone - Storm Cat's 2006 fee was set at US$500,000 and Giant's Causeway Fee rose 50% To US$300,000. Whilst record books and record service fees keep the headlines humming one still wonders what longer term measures will be taken to address issues of sub-quality mares being over bred, the impact of service fees and yearling prices vs. available prize money, and also what we plan to do with all these horses in years to come (retirement etc).

In news closer to home a Western Australian stud bought Dubai Millennium's Half-Brother … or did they? The public relations nightmare eventually concluded with the "right" horse showing up at a Ukraine stud (and who said Fine Cotton was "so 1980's"?!).

In the sales rings, catalogue sizes went in only one direction as "largest ever catalogues" were recorded at Fasig-Tipton, Tatts, Keeneland and Magic Millions and Inglis received a record number of 3,000 entries for its 3 major yearling sales for 2006: Easter (Sydney), Classic (Sydney) & Premier (Melbourne). Whilst prices followed suit, the question still lingers - when will the market redress itself?

Keeneland's response to that question will no doubt be "never", the famous auction company securing (amongst others) a world record price for a broodmare sold at public auction - ASHADO reaching a bid of US$9million at the November Breeding Sale. That new sales pavilion appears to have already paid for itself!

The last Danehill youngsters entered the sales rings in 2005 as the champion sire celebrated his 300th stakes winner (the number of media releases each claiming that x sales company was the LAST to offer progeny of Danehill starting to read like an Elvis reincarnation).

In the weanling market, Arrowfield went on a spending spree as Vinery went on a selling splurge, Inglis sold the top priced AUD$2.5m Redoute's Choice yearling colt at Easter, The Ready to Run Sales added 3 year old's, and Magic Millions turned innovation into an art form with various 2005 initiatives including improved webstreaming of sales, to updated auction averages (NZ also streaming its Breeze Up sales in 05).

There was stem cell success on tendons in the UK, Tokyo's racetrack installed the world's largest screen (to outdo even Hong Kong); race videos appeared on cell phones in HK and also the UK; Queensland Racing appointed a new Head of Integrity; an Australian tipster was fined for spam, polytrack surfaces came into vogue, 'bloggers' appeared on the radar screen as the first race club introduced podcasts; The Asia Mile Challenge was expanded as questions were raised over the future of the World Series; Valedictum's triumph in the Gr1 Emirates Stakes came in front of a Day-4 record crowd of 61,382 as the Victoria Racing Club's Spring Carnival concluded at Flemington in Melbourne and took the 4-day total to a new record of 383,784 attendees; record prize money was announced for Magic Millions race day (including the richest maiden in the world); and Dubai's main race day galloped forward an extra few million as well.

You could have bought any (or all) of Inverness Stud, Wakefield Stud, Boscobel Stud, or Vinery's pre-training centre in 2005; if you were a racetrack groom you inherited the unfortunate title of the "worst job in sports"; and hopefully you have now pencilled HK 2008 into the diary for the Olympic equestrian events after the recent announcement.

The great unanswered questions of the year: what is the future of Darley/Coolmore 'cooling off'? How will the end of the Irish tax exemptions affect the breeding giants in that part of the world? Will there be an Australia-wide administration for thoroughbred racing? Can Australian racing continue to sustain 55 races a day, 7 days a week? What will come of weight rises for jockeys? Which stallion will Makybe Diva be sent to? And was Fusaichi Pegasus the most overhyped horse in history?

And what of the future? Italian scientists cloned a champion endurance horse in April this year, and US scientists have offered to clone thoroughbreds. Meanwhile, if the Canberra Cententary Committee get their way we may just see a State of Origin horse race for Thoroughbred Park and a trans-Tasman racing challenge, pitting the best Australian thoroughbreds against New Zealand’s best in 2013. (God help us!)

Best of luck to owners, vendors, breeders, purchasers, race fans - and general enthusiasts - for 2006. As the famous line goes "May the force be with you" (or if you would prefer to quote it in a range of other languages: (French) Que la Force soit avec toi!, (Arabic) Faltakoon Alquua Ma'ak!, (Dutch) Moge de Kracht met u zijn!, (German) Möge die Macht mit dir sein!, (Japanese) Force no tomo ni aran kotowo!, or (Spanish) Que la Fuerza te acompañe!