Winner of seven Group 1s and more than $15 million in prizemoney — more than any other European-trained horse in history — Highland Reel will stand at Nagambie this spring.

Now standing his first season at Coolmore Stud, Highland Reel was snaffled by Swettenham Stud principal Adam Sangster for the upcoming breeding season.

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“Swettenham Stud is extremely excited to have secured Highland Reel from Coolmore Stud for stallion duties in the southern hemisphere,” Sangster said.

“And while he might be standing at our Nagambie base, Highland Reel’s appeal is truly global.

“With his tremendous race record and what is clearly a stallion’s pedigree, I’m highly confident he will attract broodmare owners from all states … particularly at such a competitive fee.”

Third to Winx in the 2015 Cox Plate where, as a European three-year-old he carried an Australian four-year-old’s weight, Highland Reel will stand for $15,000 in Australia.

His fee at Coolmore Stud in Ireland is about $27,500.

Highland Reel retired after winning the Longines Vase in Hong Kong in December, prompting trainer Aidan O’Brien to hail him as “an incredible horse with pace and courage and tactical speed … he has everything.”

By super sire Galileo out of Australian-bred Danehill mare Hveger, Highland Reel is bred on the same cross as Frankel and Teofilo, whose Group 1 Australian winners include Happy Clapper, Humidor, Palentino, Sonntag and Kermadec.

Highland Reel is also closely related to champion sprinter and leading sire Starspangledbanner.

Inglis Bloodstuck pedigree expert Simon Vivian said: “Highland Reel was a terrific racehorse, extremely versatile, and a wonderful addition to Victoria’s stallion ranks. Really looking forward to selling his progeny in the years to come.”

Highland Reel will join Toronado, Americain, Trust In A Gust, Puissance de Lune and Rebel Dane at Swettenham.

BURNING ISSUE

The program Winx will follow before the October 27 Cox Plate will be hotly debated before her historic spring campaign. Winx’s 2015 Cox Plate success came at her third run that campaign, she had three trials and four races in 2016 and last year trialled twice and was fifth up into Moonee Valley. The Warwick Stakes, George Main and possibly the Caulfield Stakes shape as her pathway this season. Both Flemington and Caulfield have figured previously. Standby for the clamour for the mighty mare’s attentions.

THE ROLLERCOASTER

Pure Elation’s striking Percy Sykes Stakes win captured the highs and lows of racing — and its volatile nature — all too well. Hailed by Peter Snowden as possibly the best filly he’s trained, on the basis of just five starts, the grey bled and is now banned for three months. Snowden thinks so much of the one-time Blue Diamond favourite he is considering giving her a shot at The Everest, won last year by stablemate Redzel. Pure Elation must trial or gallop to stewards’ satisfaction before she can race again.

WHO’S HOT

Chris Waller. The extraordinary Winx aside, Waller’s performance to guide nine-year-old Who Shot Thebarman to Sydney Cup victory is staggering. A fixture in Australian 3200m features, and an Auckland Cup winner, the veteran took his earnings to $4.5million from a relatively light 51 starts. Waller also won the AJC Oaks in race record time with Fastnet Rock filly Unforgotten. As he dryly noted: “It just shows we’re not a one-horse stable.” The Barman has now contested five Sydney Cups and three Melbourne Cups.

WHO’S NOT

Those who continue to quibble over just how good Winx is. Peter Moody had a blunt message for the glass half-full brigade: Enjoy the champion while you can. Seeing is believing.

WEEK AHEAD

Melbourne Racing Club will shell out $1.82 million in prizemoney and bonuses on Saturday as part of the VOBIS Gold series in what shapes a huge day at Caulfield. Tatura trials will draw more interest than usual on Tuesday when Lindsay Park unleashes gun sprinters Vega Magic and Spieth as well as Caulfield Cup winner Boom Time step out.

TALKING POINT

The whip rule. Eight separate jockeys fell foul of the law at Randwick on Saturday. Among those fined were Hugh Bowman, Damian Oliver, Michael Dee and Mark Zahra while at Caulfield Daniel Moor’s excellent performance to ride every leg of the quaddie was offset by $750 fine for whip use. Separately, Luke Currie and Fred Kersley were suspended for careless riding.