By Kit Gow/TTRAusNZArrowfield Stud have released their 2026 service fees, with The Autumn Sun stepping up to occupy the lead spot previously held by Snitzel and their father Redoute's Choice, standing for a career-high fee of A$137,500 (inc GST).Rising from a fee of $66,000 (inc GST) last year, The Autumn Sun's oldest crop are now five and, from 235 runners, he has recorded 145 winners at a strike-rate of 61.7%. His tally of 11 stakes winners includes eight Group winners, five of whom have struck at Group 1 level, highlighted this season by the multiple Group 1 winners Autumn Glow and Autumn Boy.“The arrival of Autumn Glow from his second crop, and Autumn Boy from his third crop, confirm our assessment of The Autumn Sun as a very significant sire for this part of the world,” said Arrowfield chairman John Messara. “He is likely to finish in the top three or four stallions on the general sires' premiership this season, with half the runners of his immediate competitors.”He added, “The Autumn Sun served a wonderful book of 178 mares in 2025, and we've backed our own judgement with 30 Arrowfield mares in foal to him, because we believe he will succeed Snitzel and Not A Single Doubt as a champion sire son of Redoute's Choice.”European blood proving popularAnticipating the arrival of his first foals in 2026, Cheveley Park's Vandeek returns to stand his second season at the same fee of A$22,000 (inc GST). The champion two-year-old covered a full book of 151 mares in 2025, including daughters, siblings and dams of horses like Snitzerland, Dundeel, Miss Finland and Ortensia.“He was absolutely full,” said Arrowfield's bloodstock manager Jon Freyer. “We had a lot more applications for mares to visit him. I think he will be very popular again next year.”Debuting in 2026 is Juddmonte's Lead Artist, who will stand his first season for a fee of A$27,500 (inc GST).“I haven't been this excited about a new stallion since we acquired Danehill from Juddmonte in 1989,” Messara said of the G1 Lockinge Stakes winner. “Lead Artist fills the bill for me on every count – pedigree, performance and physique – and I know he is going to match what many other breeders are looking for too.”Freyer added, “The response to Lead Artist has been outstanding. John Messara is very positive on him and we will be supporting him strongly with our own mares. We are very excited to be involved with Juddmonte and to be bringing him down. He will be one of the most popular first-season horses we've stood for a long time, I believe.”The post The Autumn Sun Leads Arrowfield Stud Roster at A$137,500 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.