Separated by the Pages River, Kia Ora and Vinery studs boast some of the Hunter Valley’s most valuable land. On either side sits prime and fertile country, each with its own successful history of raising elite horses. Each is host to an impressive stallion roster, and the extensive teams that go with managing high quality and commercial bloodstock operations across thousands of acres.

The exciting merger means that Kia Ora’s Malaysian-born owner Ananda Krishnan will become a seventh partner in Vinery, joining a party which includes Gerry Harvey, Neil Werrett, Alan Green, David Paradice and Greg Perry.

Another existing shareholder in Vinery, Steve McCann, recently took over the Chairmanship of Kia Ora, and told TDN AusNZ how the merger came about.

“The Vinery partnership has been together for almost 20 years now, and I’ve been a partner from the start,” he said. “We’ve always bred and owned horses with Kia Ora over that whole period, so it was a natural evolution. Looking at those two properties alongside each other, it’s pretty compelling to see how we can put them together in some way.”

With an eye on providing unrivalled access to such excellent property to their existing customers, McCann explained that the pooling of capital, resources and expertise means a joint venture will open up opportunities that weren’t available before.

“We’ve got our own strategy, and we’re working through how we’re going to make sure that is optimised going forward. But there’s areas where there’s pretty clear overlap.

“The additional capacity of the farms working together is one, the capital is another, things like acquisitions of bloodstock, yearling preparations and horse management are some areas where we feel we can add value by working together.

“It clearly does put us in a pretty strong position competitively, but it’s not about trying to compete with anyone else. We’ve got our own view as to how we want to grow and we’re very active at the moment investing quite a bit of capital between both businesses, and that’ll continue.”

Inward focus

Vinery’s General Manager Peter Orton agreed that the merger hasn’t arrived as a response to the outward pressure of competition, but rather from the respective team’s focus on achieving their own aims.

“It’s not a case of taking on or copying anyone else,” Orton told TDN AusNZ. “This whole industry is about available opportunity. You can have money, but if you don’t get opportunity, you don’t move forward.

“Having the level of bloodstock that’s within the two operations, the level of people that are involved and the standard of the country - if you want to tick every box as far as operating in this industry these properties do it and some more.

“The exciting part of it is that we can continue to do what we’re doing and almost triple our opportunity going forward by working together and grow our businesses in the way we want to grow them.”

Growth might seem a scary thought when you consider how successful each party has been in their own right. Between the two studs, they are responsible for a host of Australia’s elite horses, more recently including Champion 2-Year-Old and G1 Golden Slipper winner Farnan, Champion First Season Sire Russian Revolution and Group 1 winners Wild Ruler and Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible).

At last week's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Kia Ora sold seven yearlings for an aggregate of $2,425,000 and an average of $346,429, while as buyers, in conjunction with a number of different players, including Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and TFI Bloodstock, they parted with a total of $7.65 million. Those purchases were headlined by Lot 955, an Exceed And Excel colt out of Ichihara (General Nediym) from the Corumbene-bred family of this season's G3 Breeders' Plate winner Empire Of Japan (Snitzel).

Meanwhile, Vinery Stud sold 18 yearlings for total receipts of $5,980,000 and concluded with an average of $332,222, headed by a filly by Too Darn Hot (GB) which they sold to McKeever Bloodstock, Watership Down, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing for a cool $1 million.

Gallery: Some of the elite horses that have come from Vinery and Kia Ora in recent years

But, with his involvement in both businesses, McCann echoed Orton’s sentiment and added that for the many stakeholders involved the driving force for the new deal came from their shared passion for the sport.

“All the partners at Vinery and also Ananda Krishnan at Kia Ora love breeding and racing horses,” McCann said. “When you’ve got a stallion station you try to make sure that you’re accessing the very best quality opportunities there.

“To make the best stallions you also have to have the best broodmares going to them, and we’ve got a combined strength on the broodmare side that’s fantastic.

“With this, there’s some real leverage opportunities once we put our heads together and work alongside each other to try to maximise those.”

Practicalities

Exact details of the new structure are still being finalised but, whilst McCann and Orton are excited about what the future holds, for now there won’t be too many discernible changes to the structure of either entity.

For instance, whilst Vinery has a significant agistment business alongside its other activities, Kia Ora does not - and that will stay the same.

Watch: Kia Ora's recently expanded stallion facility

Kia Ora’s recently expanded stallion facility - containing exciting young sires Prague, Farnan and Captivant - will remain entirely separate from Vinery’s more established roster, which includes Ole Kirk, Star Turn, All Too Hard and Exceedance.

“There will be no change to the existing operational structure,” McCann explained. “As for the bloodstock ownership, individual partners have interests in a lot of broodmares and racehorses, and that will stay the same as well.

“But, going forward there will be a collaboration agreement through which we establish how we approach stallions and where we’re going to stand them.”

Nor too will the merger mean any change up in either team. As Orton explained, the opportunities the merger brings will arrive in due course, but until that growth comes each side will continue to rely on their existing teams.

“Basically, we’re looking at the two operations keeping up the same day-to-day work, it’ll be business as usual,” he said. “The only changes you’ll see are in the future when we grow the business as we stretch out into other areas.

“The people we’ve got involved in every facet are excellent, so there’s no need to disrupt that at all.

“It will certainly increase the opportunity to source more, with the level of broodmares around. But, it doesn’t change a lot of the practicalities. We still need the same personnel and we’ll probably have the same amount of horses.”

Vision

Returning to the question of why two of the country’s most successful farms would choose to form a partnership, McCann described it as an opportunity that’s long been in consideration.

As he would argue, in the sense that the independent success of each business has its foundation in teamwork and partnerships, the merger is simply a logical progression.

“We discussed whether to do this with the partners over a period of time,” he said. “We made the decision that it’s the right thing for the business, it’s a pretty exciting opportunity to pool the capital of both businesses, and the resources we have and the expertise.”

“It brings together two of the very best bloodstock properties in the country, so that’s always been attractive and it’s been something we’ve thought about for some time.”

Cover image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Despite winning the G2 Auckland Guineas on her previous start, Prowess came into Saturday’s 3-year-old feature as somewhat of an underdog, largely owing to the presence of the previously unbeaten Group 1 winner Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), who had ended Prowess’ own unbeaten record in the G3 Soliloquy S. three months prior.

Te Akau’s last-start Group 2 winner Wild Night (NZ) (Vanbrugh) was Legarto’s main danger according to the betting market, but neither could land a blow on Prowess, with the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained filly digging deep to record her fourth win and second stakes success from only six career starts.

“We went in there hoping that she might run top three, taking on those two top horses in Wild Night and Legarto, but as Roger James hoped, she just needed clear air and the plan came together - it was a huge win,” Baker said.

“According to Roger, Robert and Warren Kennedy the jockey, she’s just screaming for 2000 metres now, which gives the owners and trainers plenty of options. They’re talking maybe the Sir Tristram Classic, but they have a few other irons in the fire and will just see how she comes through it.

“You never go the early crow in this game, but a Group 1 would seal it for her as a broodmare if they can pull that off. Fingers crossed they can, but she’s certainly shown plenty of promise.

“As Robert said to me the other night, she’s still learning, still growing and is still yet to furnish.”

Back to the well

A NZ$230,000 purchase by her trainers from Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) Karaka Yearling Sale in 2021, Prowess is the second stakes horse and fourth winner from four foals to race out of the Don Eduardo (NZ) mare Donna Marie (NZ), whose dam Scarlet Runner (NZ) (Kingdom Bay {NZ}) took out the G2 Sir Tristram Classic during her own glittering race career.

Donna Marie, whom Baker revealed has a “beautiful” sister to Prowess at foot, is back in foal to Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir again this year, a move that is sure to pay a handsome dividend should the resultant foal bear any resemblance to its illustrious sibling.

“Prowess was one of those foals who was born a queen and stayed like one right the way through, she was amazing,” Baker recalled.

“She was very straightforward the whole way and had a very good mind. Just everything went the right way, she kept furnishing and growing, she was very professional.

“Some foals can be born a bit disappointing, then improve and come right, but she was a queen right from the moment she was born. She was always top-class and we were very lucky to have her.”

Should Prowess go on to emulate her grandam by winning the Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic, it would give Hallmark Stud their second consecutive win in the Group 2 feature, after fellow graduate Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking) landed last year’s spoils en route to being crowned joint NZB Filly of the Year.

The farm has produced an impressive five individual stakes winners in the past 12 months, while past graduates such as three-time Group 1 winner Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo {Ire}) and recently relocated stallion Wyndspelle (NZ) prove that it is more than just a purple patch for Hallmark, who also had the joint most runners of any vendor in Saturday’s R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO.

“We sold Impendabelle for the Smithies boys at Monovale - she came out and won the Wakefield and ran a good race the other night in the Karaka Million 2YO,” Baker added.

Gallery: Some of the impressive Group winners produced by Hallmark Stud, images courtesy of NZ Racing Desk

“Bonny Lass didn’t actually go through a sale, but she’s had another great year. She’s a Group winner as a 2-year-old, 3-year-old and 4-year-old. She’s got big fish to fry yet.

“It’s a tough game, so you’ve got to enjoy the run. There’s a big bump at the bottom so you take it while you can and enjoy it.

“It gives buyers the confidence that they can buy a racehorse off us. It’s a great boost for the staff, they get a hell of a thrill because they see them from conception, to birth, to weaning. It just lifts the whole team.

“There’s an element of relief as well. We got a lot of money for Prowess and you’re just delighted for the Skippers that own her, and Robert and Roger whose faith was rewarded in buying off us. It’s a great boost.”

Keeping it even

Given that Prowess was sourced from the Hallmark draft at the NZB Karaka Yearling Sale in 2021, this year’s offerings from the North Waikato-based property are bound to garner plenty of attention from buyers on both sides of the Tasman.

While Baker was at pains to single out one particular member of the 16-strong draft, the brother to Champion New Zealand 2-Year-Old and Newhaven Park Stud-based sire Cool Aza Beel (NZ) is bound to feature prominently during the opening session of the three-day auction, which gets underway on January 29.

“He’s a very good colt that we’re offering for the Fells, he’s a really nice horse,” Baker said of Lot 107.

“He’s probably got a little bit more scope than his brother had at the same age. He’s a beautifully balanced horse, well put together and uses himself well, has a good mind - he’s everything you want in a racehorse that’s for sure.

“There’s also a very good Tivaci filly out of Adriatico, who has already done the job and left a couple of Group horses. She’s outstanding and is all quality. There’s a Dundeel filly out of a Fastnet Rock mare, she’s just exceptional.

“We haven’t got a rockstar, but we have an extremely even draft with a lot of nice horses. Often, you’ll have a horse who’s just an obvious standout, on page and type, but we have plenty of horses like that this year.”

The colt out of Cool ‘n’ Sassy (Testa Rossa) isn’t the only member of the Hallmark draft that boasts a Group 1-performed sibling, with Lot 379, a colt by exciting young stallion Almanzor (Fr), counting G1 Robert Sangster S. runner-up Subpoenaed (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) as his half-brother.

“He’s a beautiful colt,” Baker said. “He has size, scope and a brilliant mind. He uses himself really well and is a terrific mover.

“You can just see 3-year-old Classic written all over him, just like the Almanazors have proven they can do, like the Derby winner (Manzoice) and Liam Howley’s horse Virtuous Circle. They just step up when they get over ground and this guy falls into that bracket.

Watch: Lot 379 - Almanzor (Fr) x Notice Received (NZ) (colt), video courtesy of NZB

“He just wants to eat and sleep, he’s just a teddy bear. It’s an Almanzor thing, we have worked with several now and they are just wonderfully tempered horses. They’re very calm with great brains and they don’t over complicate things.

“The proof of that was how they sold in his first crop. People aren’t stupid, that’s why they sold like they did. Like him they’re just outstanding individuals and he’s a very exciting young, up-and-coming stallion for New Zealand.”

‘Sire of the moment’

Another stallion whose progeny Baker is all too happy to have in his draft is Proisir, who currently sits atop the NZ Sires’ Premiership with an impressive seven individual stakes winners to his name this season.

Hallmark will offer a filly by the Rich Hill Stud-based stallion (Lot 482) out of the Listed winner Sarsarun (NZ) (Ustinov {NZ}), and Baker urged prospective buyers to overlook that she is a later foal.

“She’s a good filly we own with a client in Wellington and she’s a November foal, but you wouldn’t know it,” he said. “She doesn’t look it.

“Everyone forgets that Probabeel was a November foal and she won the Karaka Million. Lonhro was a late foal, last year’s Derby winner here in New Zealand, Asterix, he was born on November 10th - where do you stop?

“This filly uses herself well and will be a lovely mile-to-middle distance filly. She’s correct, she’s a great mover and she’s out of a stakes winner.

“What Proisir is doing is just phenomenal and, no disrespect, he’s doing it off a seven grand service fee and some pretty average to poor mares, which is the sign of an absolute upgrader.

“He’s done it the hard way, and when he gets those better mares when his fee goes up, God knows what he could do. He’s the sire of the moment and we’re very happy we took a share in him when he came out.”

Off the back of another record-breaking Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Baker is optimistic that the buoyant market can continue at Karaka as NZB prepares to welcome back overseas buyers in droves for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re all pretty excited for obvious reasons,” he concluded. “It’s the first time everyone can get back for three years, and no disrespect to photos and videos, but at the end of the day there is nothing like seeing a horse in the flesh.

“If you’ve got a nice horse with some page, and you have luck with scope and x-rays, there will be good money there. We always have the best value horses in the world and box above our weight in Australia.

“It’ll be great reacquainting and we have a lot of good mates who we haven’t seen in a long time.”

Cover image courtesy of Darley

Darley’s freshman Microphone was one of several first-season sires to make a splash on debut at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The Champion 2-Year-Old of 2018/19 had 13 yearlings gross $3,030,000 at an average of $233,077.

The top-selling Microphone yearling at Bundall was Lot 409 – a colt from the stakes winner South Of France (USA) (Quality Road {USA}), who was consigned by Newhaven Park and was knocked down to China Horse Club, Newgate, Sir Owen Glenn's Go Bloodstock and Trilogy for $750,000.

The highest-priced Microphone yearling filly was Lot 646, offered by B2B Thoroughbreds and was bought by BK Racing for $375,000. She is out of the winning Symboli Kris S (USA) mare Beetobee (Jpn).

Gallery: The two top-selling Microphone yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, images courtesy of Magic Millions

According to Brett Howard, the proprietor and manager of Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) – the results come as no surprise.

A highly respected and experienced bloodstock agent, Howard told TDN AusNZ Microphone has made a great start to his new career, leaving lovely physicals.

“As a group of horses, I thought they were really nice individuals,” Howard said.

“He’s a highly credentialled stallion prospect. He was a Champion 2-year-old colt in a very good crop and you can’t really knock him.

“I did like the physicals and we (Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds and I) were happy to purchase a couple on the Gold Coast.”

Those yearlings are Lot 211 - a filly from the Rosari Farm draft, which cost $210,000, and Lot 572 – a filly offered by Eureka Stud that fetched $330,000.

The former is from the stakes performer Oxford Heart (Lion Heart), while the latter is out of the four-time winner Zoom By (Red Dazzler), who is a half-sister to the stakes winner Firenza (Kenny’s Best Pal) – the dam of the stakes Group 3 victress Tuscan Sling (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).

Zoom By is also a half-sister to Beauty World (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who has produced the stakes winners Hi World, Lite’n in My Veins (Henrythenavigator {USA}), Ducimus, Loveyamadly (Bel Esprit) and Written Beauty (Written Tycoon).

“The two we bought… there’s some similarities to Microphone. They all look like they're sprinters. With some stallions, you can get a major variation, but there seems to be a real consistency amongst them,” Howard explained. “They look genuine, strong, sprinting types to me.

“The two fillies which Star bought… the one that made $330,000, she looks like a real early 2-year-old type. Hopefully, she can come to hand fairly quickly and maybe be a candidate to run in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic next year.

“The other filly… I don’t think we will be waiting and wondering too long for her either; she looks like she’s capable of being a 2-year-old as well. Her family has got 2-year-old form there.”

Howard added he and Denise Martin had hoped to come away from Bundall with a third Microphone yearling.

“We really liked the colt from South Of France that made $750,000. We knew he was pretty popular and he sold accordingly, he sold very well. We would have loved to have been able to buy him, but that’s out of our price bracket,” Howard said.

A ‘lovely big colt’ set to shine at Karaka

Microphone has five yearlings catalogued for the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1), which commences on January 29, all from different vendors.

Gallery: Some of Microphone's yearlings catalogued in the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1), images courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Lot 37 is a filly from the Carlaw Park draft and she is from Arabian Gift (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Lot 45 is a colt out of the 1600-metre winner Astardia (Starcraft {NZ}), making him a half-brother to the Listed victress Star Of Bombay (NZ) (Atlante). He will be offered by Mapperley Stud.

Beaufort Downs will present Lot 134 – a colt from the winning Lonhro mare Dazzling Lady (NZ).

Lot 399 is a filly from the Wentwood Grange draft and she is out of the Group 2 winner Our Abbadean (NZ) (Lookin' At Lucky {USA}).

Watch: Lot 399 - Microphone x Our Abbadean (NZ) (filly) parading, video courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

And Lot 453 – a colt - will be offered by Gus and Bianca Wigley’s Inglewood Stud. He is from Raven Darkholme (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) – a winner at 1400 metres and a half-sister to the Listed winner Replique (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) and the stakes performers Mystery Shot (Shooting To Win) and Mystique Falcon (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai).

Gus Wigley told TDN AusNZ their Microphone colt is a cracker.

“He’s a lovely big colt, he’s out of a granddaughter out of our really good mare Seamist, which was raced by my grandmother,” he said.

“This is her second foal; her first foal made $380,000 last year at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale – a Harry Angel colt – and this guy is every bit as good.

“He’s a big imposing colt with plenty of leg, a great shoulder, and he’s just got the most beautiful, mature head on him.

“He’s a very forward, precocious-looking horse, which comes as no surprise, given Microphone was a Champion 2-Year-Old.

“He’s got a great brain on him, he’s got a great temperament and a very good brain, so, yeah, I’m pretty excited to get him up there and show him off.”

A recipe for success

Wigley said he wasn’t at all surprised to see Microphone’s first yearlings prove so popular and he is buoyed by the strong results from the Gold Coast.

“He was a Champion 2-Year-Old in a very good crop of 2-year-olds, so I think they sold accordingly,” he said. “He’s the type of horse the Aussies love to buy, particularly at the Magic Millions Sale. I was expecting him to be popular and he was.

“We saw a couple of nice ones at the weanling sales last year and they sold very well. The results flowed through to the first yearling sale and hopefully, they flow through to Karaka, as well.”

Wigley revealed he had little hesitation selecting Microphone for Raven Darkholme.

“We picked him out as a stallion we wanted to support,” said Wigley.

“It’s a really good, old New Zealand family that we’ve developed over a number of years, and I suppose sending her to a precocious type of horse like Microphone and one the Australian market would like adds a bit of interest to the pedigree page; it updates that older family a little bit.

“It’s a nice mating on type and the resultant foal is exactly what we wanted to get.”

The catalogue for the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale was released on November 21, 2022, and since then, a host of yearlings being offered at Karaka next week have had their pedigree enhanced, which is important information for vendors and buyers alike.

Lot 152 - Embellish (NZ) x Elegant Achiever (Fastnet Rock), colt - on account of Cambridge Stud

This colt by Cambridge Stud’s Embellish (NZ), who currently sits second in the NZ first-season sire standings, has had the benefit of two timely updates since the catalogue went to print.

His brother Luberon (NZ), who provided his sire with his very first winner courtesy of a 4l maiden win at Whangarei, also became Embellish’s first stakes horse when finishing third in the Listed Challenge S. in November, while his half-brother, Ellmaknifico (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) added a third career victory to his name when saluting at Kyneton later that month.

From the second crop of the Group 1-winning son of Savabeel in Embellish, this colt is out of Elegant Achiever, a daughter of leading broodmare sire Fastnet Rock who has produced two winners from two runners to date.

The Savabeel/Fastnet Rock cross boasts an 18 per cent stakes winners to runners strike rate and is headed by Kaonic (NZ) (Savabeel), whose seven career victories include a Listed win at Flemington.

Lot 165 - Ocean Park (NZ) x Exactly Like You (NZ) (Savabeel), filly - on account of Waikato Stud

The dam of this filly by leading stallion Ocean Park (NZ), Exactly Like You (NZ) (Savabeel), is also now two from two with her progeny after Tivaci Princess (NZ) (Tivaci) broke through at Wellington last month, where she accounted for talented filly Wessex (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}), who has since earned herself black type by placing behind Group 1 winner Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) in the G2 Eight Carat Classic.

Exactly Like You is by multiple Champion Sire Savbeel and is therefore a three-quarter sister to G2 Matriarch S. heroine Savapinski (Savabeel). She also counts G3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup runner-up Glintz (NZ) (Pins) as her half-sister.

This filly is a granddaughter of the Listed-winning O’Reilly (NZ) mare Glitzy (NZ), who is herself a three-quarter sister to O’Flirty (NZ), a two-time Listed winner in Western Australia. Glitzy is also a three-quarter sister to G2 Tulloch S. placegetter Multifacets (NZ) and a sister to the stakes-placed Samburu (NZ), who won five races.

Ocean Park, whose progeny are spearheaded by four-time Group 1 winner Tofane (NZ) and three-time Group 1 hero Kolding (NZ), will be represented by 49 yearlings in Book 1 of the NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.

Lot 380 - Tivaci x Novelty (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), filly - on account of Waikato Stud

A number of recent pedigree updates are sure to make this filly by Waikato Stud’s resident stallion Tivaci a highly sought-after offering, not to mention that her sire is now a Group 1 producer courtesy of Never Been Kissed’s (NZ) victory in the G1 Flight S.

First and foremost, this filly’s sister, Bella Tivaci (NZ), broke her maiden at Avondale in November and has since mixed it in Group company on her past two starts. Bella Tivaci is the only foal to race out of this filly’s dam Novelty (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), who is an extremely well-related daughter of reigning Champion Broodmare Sire O’Reilly.

Novelty is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winners Gunyo (NZ) and Tiptronic (NZ), as well as stakes winner Wolfwhistle (NZ), all of whom are by O’Reilly. Her full sister Seriously (NZ) recently added a fourth career success to complement her two placings at stakes level, while another of her three-quarter sisters, Splits (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), recently became a stakes producer of her own thanks to the victory of her daughter Synchronize (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Listed Hallmark Stud H. last month.

This filly also hails from the family of the cleverly named Champion NZ 3-Year-Old Filly Legs (NZ) (Pins), whose two victories at the top level included a memorable success in the G1 New Zealand Oaks.