Unlike the Champion Stud Farm honours -- which are decided by a complicated formula approved by the Turf Authorities of India -- all other categories are decided simply by who has won the highest stakes. Apart from simplicity, there is logic in that. The stakes allotted for different races are in keeping with their importance in our Racing Calendar. For instance, Gyahana would have got one point for winning an ordinary race on the opening day of the Mumbai season last winter season while Desert God would have been credited with 50 points for winning the Indian Derby. That is a ratio of 1:50. Gyahana won Rs. 1.42 lakhs for winning her race while Desert God earned Rs. 217 lakhs for picking up the Blue Riband of Indian racing; a ratio of almost 1:153. That is a fairer reflection of the relative merits of Gyahana and Desert God than the 1:50 ratio in the point system. No system is perfect and every system is capable of improvement. Time, surely, has come for the Turf Authorities' point system to be re-evaluated.

With his progeny amassing nearly Rs. 15.5 crores during 2015-16, Burden of Proof was comfortably ahead of Multidimensional and claimed his first Champion Sire title. Back in November 2003, Burden of Proof's first crop started racing. From memory, his first starter was Lindsay and the filly scored on her debut at Bangalore. Lindsay most certainly was the first Classic winner sired by Burden of Proof when she won Bangalore Fillies' Trial Stakes, Gr.1 in June 2004. There were four other Classic winners in that crop -- Fantabulous King, Camarioca, Full Speed and Staranzano -- and Burden of Proof broke Razeen's record of four Classic winners in his first crop. He was also the Champion Freshman Sire for the year 2003-04.

Thereafter, in an era dominated by Placeville and Razeen, Burden of Proof found the going tough. It was only in 2008-09 that the stallion broke into the top five and he has held that position ever since. He was twice  the runner-up -- in 2012-13 and 2014-15, both times to Chettinad Stud's Always A Rainbow -- and that was a bit unfortunate.  In the former year, the Kunigal Stud stalwart ended up with 76 winners to head the table based on number of winners. That was his only first place finish since the Champion Freshman Sire title.  There is no denying the fact that Always A Rainbow's progeny earned more stakes in both those years. It is also hard ignore the truth that Always A Rainbow's progeny won most -- probably more than 95 % -- of the stakes in the state of Tamil Nadu while Burden of Proof's progeny amassed its earnings in the more competitive racing environment of the rest of the country. Burden of Proof died earlier this year at Kunigal Stud on 1 August. Exactly three months later, he stands at the top of the table as the new Champion Sire of India. The tribute paid to the departed stallion contains more details of his achievements and an interested reader is referred to the Archives on the site in case he is interested.

Burden of Proof's honour is richly deserved. As of today, he has sired 25 Classic winners of 41 Classics. That places him sixth on the all-time list of Classic sires as far number of winners is concerned. With four crops of about 100 foals yet to race, it would be odds-on that he forces his way into the top five.

Like Burden of Proof, Multidimensional was a Champion Freshman Sire. That was in 2012-13 and the following year he became the Champion Sire. A mere Rs. 12,000 saw Burden of Proof edge him out of the runner-up spot in 2014-15 while this year the Kunigal stallion has beaten him by a very convincing margin. He remains a potent force and is the one most likely to make a serious bid for top honours next year. While Burden of Proof will be banking on Accolade, Multidimensional has more likely sorts with Aster Rose, La Dona, Star Nijinsky and Whomakestherules; on the other hand, Burden of Proof has more 2YOs about to start racing.

Finishing behind Multidimensional was Phoenix Tower his old stable-mate in Sir Henry Cecil's Warren Place yard in Newmarket. Both retired to stud in India in 2009 and so far Multidimensional has always occupied a higher position in the table than Manjri Stud's stallion. Phoenix Tower, though, has 72 juveniles all set to make their racing debuts -- against 43 of Burden of Proof and just 32 of Multidimensional -- and  those numbers could make for a very interesting three-way contest in the coming year.

Numbers alone are useful but not the deciding factor. Numbers have enabled Arazan to finish fourth after having been the Champion Freshman Sire last year. Arazan, however, was some way off the pace in the race for top honours  this year. Ice Glacier is his best 'get' so far and if the filly has a good winter campaign, Arazan will probably keep his place in first five. After two bumper crops, Arazan was on a short ration of mares in 2013 so his juvenile crop is actually smaller -- only 29 foals -- than those of Multidimensional, Burden of Proof and Phoenix Tower. That may turn out to be serious handicap.

Noverre came to India with much expectations. A top-class miler, he had stood abroad and produced some good winners including Le Havre, a winner of Prix du Jockey Club, Gr.1 in France. He was well supported, covering on an average about 100 mares in each of his first four years. For all that, he managed to get only one Classic winner in Commander (Nanoli Stud Pune Derby, Gr.1) though he was an excellent winner producer. In the end, it is quality and not quantity that matters. Noverre died in 2012 so he has no new crop to represent him in 2016-17. 

PAST THE POST

The 2014 crop, which is now eligible to race, numbered 1694 foals. Most of these foals were the progeny approximately 90 stallions standing in India. These 90 stallions are a varied lot. Some well performed, some well bred and some well-performed as well as well bred. Some cost a packet to import while some were inexpensive. Some of them stand at big farms and are supported by a good band of broodmares and excellent management; others are not so fortunate.

Some of these 90-odd stallions also had foals racing in 2015-16. It is interesting to note that only two stallions -- Burden of Proof and Multidimensional -- had an AE (Average Earning) Index of over 2. Of the other 22 stallions who had an AE Index ranging between 1.00 and 2.00, nine are dead. The rest of the stallions had an AE Index below 1.00 which is to say that they were below average.

This, of course, is quite irrelevant to a common punter; it should, however, be of vital interest to those who invest in bloodstock. If such people study the statistics carefully, they will unearth three or four stallion -- not in the least 'fashionable' -- with an AE Index of over 1.00. These are value for money stallions.