Sire of four Derby winners -- Salento, Mirra, Something Royal and Synthesis -- during the year, Speaking of Which clung on tenaciously to claim the Champion Sire title. He was only third -- though not very far behind -- to Planetaire and Roderic O'Connor at the end of the first quarter. Mirra's Indian Derby triumph put him in front at the start of the second quarter and thereafter he held on heroically to win his maiden Championship. All through that period, he was harried by Roderic O'Connor who had much a larger number of runners in the fray. In fact, late in September, the son of Galileo had drawn almost upside. The runaway, eleven length victory of Synthesis in the Deccan Derby enabled Speaking of Which to draw away; thereafter, he did enough to quell the fire and brimstone that the runner up continued to breathe.
 

In February, Mirra gave Speaking of Which his first Indian Derby; in April, his tenth individual Classic winner Something Royal saw his induction into the Hall of Fame and, at the end of the year, he won his first Champion Sire title. These three accolades put him on par with earlier Usha Stud stallions Grey Gaston, Razeen and Multidimensional. It was indeed a great year for the son of Invincible Spirit; of his twelve Classic winners, eight are out of Multidimensional mares. Till Deauville and Plumatic joined him, Speaking of Which had the monopoly over the Multidimensional mares. Now, they will be shared and that works against the interests of Speaking of Which. For the moment, though, all is hunky dory. He was also the Champion Juvenile Sire of the year with three individual Classic winners from his 2020 crop and his 36 two year olds in training are more than to the credit of any of the four stallions just below him.

Following in the footsteps of Razeen and Multidimensional, the two previous Usha Stud Champion and Hall of Fame sires, was always going to be a tough act.  The Classic strike rate of Speaking of Which is 7.23 per cent (Classic winners to live foals). That strike rate is higher than quite a few of other stallions in the Hall of Fame. Yet, Speaking of Which does not command the adulation he deserves. He has produced Classic winners over 2400 m. but many people contend that his progeny is suspect over a distance of ground. There are others who claim that his produce is short on speed despite the fact he has brilliant mile Classic winners. His runners are versatile and so it is difficult to brand them with a specific label. Whatever the caveats, His first Champion Sire title played a vital role in Usha Stud's glorious year.

A son of Galileo; Classic winner over a mile in Ireland and a Champion Sire in Brazil. Roderic O'Connor had been at stud in Ireland, Brazil and England before he arrived in India in time for the 2017 covering season. While he was phenomenally successful in Brazil, he was only moderately so at Ballyhane Stud in Ireland or the National Stud in England. He was launched with good sized books in India and in the year just ended had 144 runners representing him from his first three crops. In those three years, he was the runner-up; to Ampere in his Freshman year; to Multidimensional last year and to Speaking of Which this year. That is hardly a record to be scoffed at but falls short of the high expectations. He gets his share of winners though his produce, generally, has only a mediocre Classic strike rate and is better over shorter distances. He has since moved to Kunigal Stud.

Roderic O'Connor won the Irish 2000 Guineas in the Magnier dark blue jacket but did not stand at Coolmore. Excellent Art was bred by Cheveley Park Stud, scored on his debut for Mr. Mathew Green, ended his career in the Magnier silks and stood at Coolmore. Discarded by Coolmore, he came to India in 2013, was the Champion Freshman Sire in 2016-17 and the Champion Sire in 2017-18. Since then, he has had to contend with smaller books to accommodate new arrivals Leitir Mor and Roderic O'Connor. That has cost him a place in the top five in two of the last five years. Now in his twilight years, he, too, has shifted to Kunigal Stud.

Like Roderic O'Connor and Excellent Art, Mukteshwar Stud's Top Class was Coolmore owned -- though he carried the colours of Mr. Michael Tabor -- but he came straight to India as a stallion. Though not as well performed as Roderic O'Connor or Excellent Art, he has an impeccable pedigree, being a son of Storm Cat and having Northern Dancer and Halo -- two grandsons of the 'Blue Hen' Almahmoud -- on the opposite sides.  He has been around for some time now and has unobtrusively worked his way up. He had two Classic winners during the year -- Forseti and Touch of Grey -- to go along with Shivansh who won the Calcutta St. Leger a few years back. Touch of Grey, who was very impressive in his Mysore Classic double, was actually foaled at Tohana Stud but the stallion does get his due. Advancing age and the arrival of the Storm Cat male line descendant Dali  means, perhaps, that this year's fourth spot is the high noon of his career.

Speaking of Which had a little over Rs. 30 lakhs to spare at the wire and that enabled him to displace his senior barn-mate Multidimensional on the top perch. Having won five titles previously, the son of Danehill would not mind that in the least. In 2020, Multidimensional had lost the crown to Air Support, falling short by less than Rs. 2 lakhs in stakes. Besides, Speaking of Which has 'nicked' superbly with his daughters and that has enabled Multidimensional to record his first Champion Maternal Grandsire honours. Mirra may have won the Indian Derby, but the Multidimensional filly King's Ransom (Indian 1000 Guineas, Indian Oaks, Indian St. Leger and second in the Indian Derby as well as the Indian Turf Invitation Cup) has strong claims to be considered as the "Four Year Old of 2022-23. "     

Some 'high profile stallions have been imported to India recently but their progeny will not be racing next year. The Champion Sire in 2023-24 should emerge from one of the five top finishers this year. It will be interesting to see if the consistent Hall of Fame stallions Phoenix Tower and Win Legend, both fairly long in the tooth and both themselves sires of an Indian Derby winner, have a last hurrah.  

PAST THE POST

We have authentic statistics for the last 48 years. The stallion who has won the most Champion Sire honours is Malvado who finished on top eight times. He is followed by Placerville (7), Razeen (6), Always A Rainbow (5), Multidimensional (5), Riyahi (4), Everyday II* (3) and Satinello (2). Punjab, Valoroso, Prince Pradeep, Grey Gaston, Burden of Proof, Excellent Art, Air Support and now Speaking of Which have been Champions once.

Razeen holds the record for having most wins -- 88 in 2004-05 -- in his Championship year while Always A Rainbow's 202 wins in 2012-13 has not been bettered by any Champion Sire.