Established by Chad Ormsby and Aliesha Moroney, a couple with impressive racing backgrounds and credentials - in 2013, Riverrock Farm made a name for itself as sellers of well presented ready-to-run horses.
In 2023 they present their biggest draft yet, 17 well related young horses from in-form families who have been pleasing Chad Ormsby with their progress. With his experience as a Group 1-winning jockey, Ormsby has unique insights into how the horses prepared at Riverrock are faring, enjoying getting a feel for each horse.
“It is great to see them change and grow in confidence and actually begin to trust you, that’s what it is all about for me. It is very satisfying,” he said.
“It is great for buyers with Riverrock taking great pride in only selling horses who we are excited about.”
“We get the feel of how they are going quite early in the picture so we can pick and choose which horses we take to the sale,” Ormsby said. “We want to sell horses who will carry the brand well.”
“We get the feel of how they are going quite early in the picture so we can pick and choose which horses we take to the sale, we want to sell horses who will carry the brand well.” - Chad Ormsby
As well as utilising Ormsby's own skill sets, Riverrock also embrace technology with the the use of the Equimetre system, one which has been so successfully employed by leading stables in New Zealand and Australia.
“This year we also applied the Equimetre to all of our breeze-up horses and have made this data available on both ours and New Zealand Bloodstock’s website. The data on max speed, stride length, stride frequency and locomotive profile provides more transparency and also gives purchasers another perspective on the future prospects of the horses.”
With over $4 million in prizemoney won by Riverrock graduates - and a 65% winning strike rate, Ormsby is proud of the farm's achievements in a short period of time and already last year's sales horses are showing good potential.
“This year we also applied the Equimetre to all of our breeze-up horses and have made this data available on both ours and New Zealand Bloodstock’s website. The data provides more transparency and also gives purchasers another perspective on the future prospects of the horses.” - Chad Ormsby
Such as Cordozar (No Nay Never {USA}) who was such a great success for Riverrock, purchased by them with Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) for NZ$160,000 at the Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, sold onto Liam Howley Racing for NZ$520,000.
Making a winning debut at Kyneton last week, the gelding showed an excellent turn of foot charging home despite having done a bit wrong during running with Liam Howley noting that, "he is still learning his craft but he has got a lot of talent.
“I was actually underbidder on him as a yearling and had to pay a bit more to get him at two but he is a lovely horse, a beautiful type.”
Riverrock graduate Cordozar, who won on debut at Kyneton on Wednesday, November 8
Another exciting prospect from last year's sale is Immediacy (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}), a NZ$15,000 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale purchase for Game Lodge who Riverrock sold on to Busuttin Racing and Group 1 Racing for NZ$200,000.
He is yet to be seen on raceday but has impressed recording a couple of Cranbourne jump-out victories.
Pulchritudinous (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}), Vivacious (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and Beast Of Burden (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) are others displaying potential as are horses from the previous year's sale - such as the G3 Sunline Vase winner Sakura Girl (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), the recent two-time Singapore winner February (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) and the lightly raced Sheng Tong Steed (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) - a winner in New Zealand who just recently ran very nicely at his Macau debut.
Preparing their horses from outstanding facilities that include sand and grass tracks, a trotting track, a sand and rubber arena, boxes, paddocks and sand yards, Riverrock is supported by a team of the country's best vets, farriers, chiropractors and dentists.
Riverrock is supported by a team of the country's best vets, farriers, chiropractors and dentists
It's a strong draft of horses that Riverrock takes to this year's sale, kicking off early in the day with Lot 10, a Vanbrugh half-brother to the South African Group 3 winner The Centenary (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) from the prolific Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) family.
Next up is Lot 39, the first of two Charm Spirit (Ire) colts on offer. He is a son of the stakes winner Flavigny (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) whilst Lot 158 is out of a daughter of the imported stakes winner D J Lightning (USA) (Doneraile Court {USA}).
Riverrock are also selling a couple by Ace High - Lot 59 a filly out of a full sister to the G1 Auckland Cup hero Chenille (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) and Lot 140 a colt out of the Group 2-placed mare Miss Thorn (NZ) (Thorn Park).
Two gelded sons of Sweynesse are also of interest - Lot 84 out of a half-sister to the juvenile stakes winner Savabill (NZ) (Savabeel) and Lot 328 a grandson of the triple Group 3 winner De Montfort (NZ) (Random Chance {NZ}).
Gallery: Lots represented by stallions Vanbrugh, Charm Spirit, Ace High, Sweynesse and Savabeel
The in-form Savabeel is also represented with Lot 260 out of a daughter of the stakes-placed high-class-broodmare, Miss Universe (Ire) (Warning {GB}) whose 10 winners include the stakes winners Worldly (GB) (Selkirk {USA}), Donativum (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) and Nice Danon (GB) (Sakhee {USA}).
Fellow proven stallions Tivaci, Almanzor (Fr), Contributer (Ire), Tarzino and Nicconi also have nice types on offer.
Lot 250 is a Tivaci filly out of the Sydney winner Sound Works (Not A Single Doubt); Lot 185 is an Almanzor filly from the family of the big-race winners Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt) and Rangirangdoo (NZ) (Pentire); Lot 132 is a Contributer gelding from the family of Efficient (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}); Lot 159 is a Tarzino colt closely related to the classy sprinter The Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Lot 306 is a Nicconi colt whose dam is a full sister to the very fast I Am Immortal.
Up-and-coming stallions Cosmic Force, Ten Sovereigns (Ire), Preferment (NZ) and Jungle Cat (Ire) also have nice offerings.
Gallery: Lots represented by stallions Tivaci, Almanzor, Contributer, Tarzino, Nicconi, Cosmic Force, Ten Sovereigns and Jungle Cat
Lot 189 is a Cosmic Force colt out of the stakes winner Princess Marizza (Scenic {Ire}); Lot 247 is a Ten Sovereigns half-sister to the exciting filly Sakura Girl who as mentioned was also sold by Riverrock; Lot 292 is a Preferment gelding from one of New Zealand's favourite families whilst Lot 352 is a Jungle Cat colt out of the three-time winning Australian mare Bodalay (Testa Rossa).
It is well worth taking a look at not only Riverrock's own website but the pages of their sales horses on the New Zealand Bloodstock site with a number of videos provided to give buyers the chance to have a good look what is on offer from differing perspectives.
