The Brendan and Jo Lindsay-owned nursery currently has two stallions on its books and the winds of change, and the success or otherwise they bring, will determine the farm’s plans for the future.
Cambridge Stud, which has set its 2020 service fees at an unchanged NZ$30,000 + GST for Almanzor while Embellish drops to NZ$4000 + GST and both payable when the mare produces a live foal, is prepared for change of its own if the domestic industry doesn’t step up.
“Two years ago our aspirations were to have a roster of four or five stallions and this time last year we were exactly at that number with Roaring Lion, Tavistock, Burgundy, Almanzor and Embellish,” Chief Executive Officer Henry Plumptre said.
“Two years ago our aspirations were to have a roster of four or five stallions." - Henry Plumptre
“We’re now down to two. We want to have a bigger roster next year and we’ve built an eight-box stallion barn, I’m not suggesting we’ll have eight stallions in two years’ time, but we’d like to have four or five.
“But, as a note of caution I would say the successful implementation of the Racing Bill is an absolutely pivotal part of where Cambridge Stud will be in five years’ time.
Jamie Richards, Brendan and Jo Lindsey and Henry Plumptre (left to right)
“If it goes wrong and the Racing Bill implementation is a watered down version of the Messara Report and therefore unable to put through the changes which the industry is asking for and needs, then our business model will change.
“Our business model will have to be a lot more focussed on Australian racing and Australian stallions. I don’t have any doubt that New Zealand can continue to rear very sound and very good racehorses, but launching a NZ$10 or NZ$15 million stallion into a marketplace like this with absolutely no certainty around the racing system is commercially an act of suicide.
“If it doesn’t happen in the next year or so, we will have to change our business model.”
“If it doesn’t happen in the next year or so, we will have to change our business model.” – Henry Plumptre
Plumptre said Winston Peters’ news this week of a NZ$72.5 million relief package for the thoroughbred industry was welcome, the key was a sustainable cost base.
“It doesn’t matter if you get everything else working, if you don’t have costs under control it’s a waste of time.”
Former European Champion 3-year-old Almanzor will stand his third season at Cambridge Stud in 2020 and covered full books in his first two seasons.
Almanzor (Fr) | Standing at Cambridge Stud
“Almanzor could not have enjoyed a better start to his stud career,” Plumptre. “He was well received in both hemispheres, covering full books of 140 and 160 mares in New Zealand in his first two seasons.
“In his third season in France, European breeders took note of his exceptional foal sales at Tattersalls and Arqana and he is booked out at 140 mares again.
“The quality of his stock has been reflected in New Zealand with an outstanding line of foals from his maiden crop that included 52 stakes winners or dams of stakes winners.”
Embellish (NZ) | Standing at Cambridge Stud
The royally-bred Group 1 winner Embellish was well received in his first season at stud, serving 138 mares.
“As the only Group 1-winning son of Savabeel standing at stud, Embellish represents amazing value coming as he does from New Zealand’s prepotent sire line and with a magnificent pedigree,” Plumptre said.
“He has the looks that go with a NZ$775,000 yearling price tag and the race performance to support his conformation. Cambridge Stud will again be strong supporters in 2020.”
Australian racing team
The stud will have around 45 horses in work in New Zealand and will also have six fillies, including the Group 1 winner Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) campaigning in Australia under Te Akau Racing’s head trainer Jamie Richards.
Probabeel (NZ)
“We’ve already got three or four fillies in Sydney and six or seven in Melbourne. We’re using eight trainers in Australia who patronise the New Zealand Yearling Sales and that’s the purpose of it – it’s quid pro quo,” Plumptre said.
“The relationship with Te Akau is principally about the training ability of Jamie Richards. He’s proven that with the right horses he can be competitive in Australia. From a New Zealand perspective, he’s a great ambassador for that brand.”
Building program
An extensive redevelopment plan has been undertaken at the stud and is now nearing its completion.
“The last major one this year has been the building of the new foaling unit. We moved it to Middle Park and put a brand new unit in there, a state of the art complex,” Plumptre said. “We’re building quite a big barn as a main reception area for the mares and foals.
“The last major one this year has been the building of the new foaling unit." - Henry Plumptre
“It will be like a post-natal division in a hospital. Over and above that and the building of the heritage centre, the only other building going on is the guest accommodation, which is being built on the site of Sir Patrick’s old house. That is an 18-month project.”
The farm also launched a series of videos entitled Stud Life via, social media profiling the stud and staff before the coronavirus-enforced lockdown intervened.
Watch: Stud Life - Cambridge Stud Racing Stables
“We aim to keep doing that and we’ll pick up during the stud season on that theme and obviously we’ll have the building in the future of the heritage centre to look at,” Plumptre said.
“I want to get a camera crew through the foaling unit in the next couple of weeks so people can see us building that.
“It’s been very successful and it shows something slightly different. Running a big thoroughbred stud with the people who work here and the horses is like a big family unit and it’s important to portray that to the outside world.”
