A string of country cups and city winners has propelled Danehill Express to the top of the WA sires’ premiership after the first month of the season.

The Mungrup Stud stallion headed the table with earnings of $376,000 on September 1 from four-time champion sire Blackfriars ($342,000) and Trade Fair ($230,000).

His first-crop leader Express Service won at Belmont on August 16 before landing the $102,000 Coolgardie Cup on Sunday.  The Darren McAuliffe trained gelding will return to Kalgoorlie for the LR Hannan’s Handicap (1400m) in a fortnight.

The Coolgardie Cup was the third country cup result for Danehill Express in August following Get Round It (Goldfields Tatts Cup) and Cougar Express (Newman Cup).

Express Service (5g Danehill Express – Lip Service by Marooned) was a $42,000 graduate from the Geisel Park draft at the 2011 Perth Magic Millions and he has now banked $397,500.  The Hannans Handicap is worth another $140,000 on Wednesday, September 17.

“Danehill Express has been flying under the radar until now,” Mungrup Stud’s Ann Croucher said this week.  “It’s early in the season but it’s a sign of things to come because he only has three crops racing.”

Broodmare owners may have under-rated Danehill Express but it’s not too late to access him at a $5,500 (inc gst) service fee.  At that price, he’s still well under the odds this year.