Written by Lydia Symonds
Lib and Katrina Petagna’s Elsdon Park, based at the old Kevin and Jo Hickman’s Valachi Downs property in Matamata, has opened for business right in time for the breeding season.
Coined ‘Elsdon Park’ after the suburb in Wellington where Katrina grew up, the new venture will be headed up by well-known industry figure Kerrie Cox, who has been appointed the farm's general manager.
Lib Petagna | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Having worked at Mark Chittick’s Waikato Stud for 17 years, first in yearling prep before being promoted to yearling manager after which she was appointed the farm’s bloodstock manager, where she was responsible for the daily working across the farm’s broad spectrum.
More recently, Cox worked for Blandford Lodge, which was formerly part-owned by Lib Petagna himself, and she told TDN AusNZ the opportunity to work for the new-look Elsdon Park was too good to turn down.
“I started out at Waikato Stud and I was there for 17 years, first starting out in the yearlings and became the yearling manager for a number of years before moving into the bloodstock manager role.
Kerrie Cox | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“I then took a bit of a break and spent some time with my family. I was then undecided what my next move was going to be and then Lib and Bruce (Perry) got in touch and asked if I was interested in the role. It was just an amazing opportunity, working for great people and incredible bloodstock and it was an opportunity too good to turn down.”
Cox said the mares had all been safely moved to the new property and she expected foaling season to get into full swing in a matter of weeks.
“As everyone knows, the property itself is absolutely stunning and perfect for raising racehorses. It's lovely rolling country, so you get that lovely natural strength from the rise in hills and the lovely undulating land,” she explained.
“All the mares have been safely moved to the farm and it’s going well so far. I’d say we’ll have our first foal in a week or two, which is really exciting for the team and the fact we took over on August 1 is in itself very fitting.”
“All the mares have been safely moved to the farm and it’s going well so far. I’d say we’ll have our first foal in a week or two, which is really exciting for the team and the fact we took over on August 1 is in itself very fitting.” - Kerrie Cox
Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel) is one of the headline acts of the enviable broodmare band. The daughter of Waikato Stud’s eight-time New Zealand champion stallion Savabeel was purchased by Petagna’s long-time bloodstock agent Bruce Perry at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$60,000 in 2012 and she would go on to win three-times at Group 1 level.
The daughter of Savabeel’s filly by I Am Invincible proved popular at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, when purchased by Summerland Farm for $650,000 and she is expecting another foal by the newly crowned Champion Sire this spring.
While another high-class performer amongst the band of the mares is the fellow elite-level winner Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), who was purchased by Perry for NZ$65,000 at the 2014 edition of the Karaka sale. The daughter of former shuttler Makfi (GB) took out the G1 Australian Oaks and she is due to deliver a foal by New Zealand’s Champion First Season Sire Almanzor (Fr) this spring.
Gallery: Some of Elsdon Park's headline broodmares, images courtesy of Sportpix
Cox said Petagna and Perry’s success racing horses, such as Lucia Valentina and Sofia Rosa, meant he needed to expand his operation.
“The move really was size-related and there was no land available around the old property, and then Valachi came up. We were literally about to push the go button on building a brand new yearling barn, so as soon as word reached us that Valachi was up for sale we put a hold on the barn; it was fortuitous timing,” explained Cox.
The Petagnas' interest in the industry started in 2003 and since their first Group 1 success as owners in 2004 with Clean Sweep’s (NZ) (End Sweep {USA}) victory in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, the JML Bloodstock’s colours have been worn to victory at elite-level on 10 further occasions.
Elsdon Park | Image courtesy of Elsdon Park
“Bruce has bought all Lib’s horses and they have been incredibly successful. They have an amazing strike rate and they have essentially created an amazing broodmare band, by buying such quality horses," said Cox.
“Obviously, when you start racing the fillies and they have been so successful, you don’t want to sell them on, you want to breed them and all of a sudden, the broodmare band has grown quite rapidly.
“Whilst Elsdon Park is new, the JML broodmare band is not new and it is just exciting that we can build the new brand name up, using the quality and special broodmares we already have.”
“Whilst Elsdon Park is new, the JML broodmare band is not new and it is just exciting that we can build the new brand name up, using the quality and special broodmares we already have.” - Kerrie Cox
Cox said the main aim of the new venture was to produce a commercial product to sell under the Elsdon Park banner at the upcoming yearling sales this summer.
“We have got to the point where we will be selling at the yearling sales, and we keep only a small handful for racing,” explained Cox.
“It is a private breeding operation. We will foal close to 50 this year on the farm and there is a handful in Australia that will foal down there and I will say our foaling numbers will sit around 50, maybe a touch more. It’s great to be part of something so new and exciting; it is great for the New Zealand breeding industry to have genuine people like Lib and Katrina investing in the industry.”
While the Petagnas' investment into bloodstock, stretches further than just racing top-class racehorses under their JML Bloodstock banner, including 2022 The Everest contender Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), they also retain shares in stallions including Waikato Stud trio Tivaci, Ardrossan and Super Seth and Yulong Stud resident Alabama Express, all of whom he owned or co-owned during their time on the track.
Elsdon Park
However, Cox said despite the Petagnas' interests in stallions, at the moment the farm has no plans to stand stallions at Elsdon Park.
“At this stage, our sole focus will be supporting the stallions that Lib has an interest in, and some of them he has actually raced as well, but standing stallions ourselves at this stage is not on the cards,” she explained. “However, it is nice to have the facilities that Valachi has developed over the years and they are world-class facilities and it is great to have that opportunity there if we do want to expand one day.”
