Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

Wednesday belonged to Newgate Farm as two of the yearling graduates won as juveniles in fine style, while China Horse Club's good broodmare Caricature continued her excellent week.

Extreme Choice filly bolts in on debut

Trainer Chris Waller unveiled debutant 2-year-old filly Extremely Hardys (Extreme Choice) in the first at Canterbury on Wednesday and she bolted home to win for jockey Tim Clark by 6l over Cinsault (Brazen Beau) and Rowena (Lonhro).

“She will head out to the paddock now to have three to four weeks off,” stable representative Charlie Duckworth said.

“We just have to work out what we target. The beauty of programming a 3-year-old filly is there's no rush with them anymore. You've got the Thousand Guineas a month later than it previously was, so you don't have to rush everything towards the Flight S. She's not overly big but she has an engine.”

It was the second biggest winning margin in a city race by a juvenile this season after the 6.5l win of Mishani Lily (Kobayashi) at Doomben in April, and was the 17th win by a Waller trained 2-year-old this season.

“They told me to ride her like one of Gai's (Waterhouse) and she did the rest,” jockey Tim Clark said. “A really sharp filly that was most impressive. She loved that ground, handled it beautifully and never missed a beat. A very straight forward filly.”

Raced by Orbis Bloodstock, Extremely Hardys was sold by Newgate Farm at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $300,000 to Guy Mulcaster and Chris Waller. She is a member of the fabulous Redoute’s Choice family, and her debut win at two must surely increase her commercial value now.

Extreme Choice had only 36 foals in his current crops of 2-year-olds and Extremely Hardys became his third winner from this crop. He is renowned for his juveniles, having previously sired G1 Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside, G1 Champagne S. winner She’s Extreme, and G2 BRC Sires’ Produce S. winner Tiger Of Malay.

Extremely Hardys is the fifth foal and fourth winner for winning mare Killcareless (More Than Ready {USA}), who has already produced R-Listed Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic-placed Remorseless (Written Tycoon) who has three wins, and 2-year-old winner Wahine (Fastnet Rock).

Killcareless is out of a stakes placed winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Precious Lorraine and Listed winner Lucky Raquie, and their dam, Monsoon Wedding, is a half-sister to Group 1 winner and Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice, as well as Group 1 winners Manhattan Rain and Platinum Scissors, and this family also includes Al Maher, Rubick, Umatilla, and Hurricane Sky.

Supercilious was super

Guided to the front by Blake Shinn, Supercilious (Written Tycoon) made the most of her race day experience to win at Sandown by 1l over Savvyrocker (Shamus Award) and Clean Reef (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Trained by Leon and Troy Corstens, Supercilious was having her third start, having previously run mid-field in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (f) on debut before a spell, then was fifth first up recently before today’s easy win.

“A lot of ability, just a beautiful filly this,” said Blake Shinn after the win. “A great character and got a bit of style about her. The barrier obviously helped us today and was able to get control. … We nursed her down the dip and let her find herself as we were going through the gears and she was strong to the line. She’s got form in better grades and she beat a nice bunch of fillies.

“She’s quite a big filly with a big of swagger about her, a good character and you’ll see when she lengths that she’s got great action and got good attributes that will get her to a better level.”

A $300,000 purchase by Malua Bloodstock from Newgate Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Supercilious is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Marine One (Capitalist) and Group 3 winner Cannonball (Capitalist), although with her sire, Written Tycoon, also being the sire of Capitalist, the relationship between the three is three-quarter siblings.

Their dam, Golconda (Snitzel), now has three runners for three winners and has a rising 2-year-old filly by Capitalist who was not offered as a yearling in 2024.

Golconda, purchased by China Horse Club as a broodmare prospect in 2015 for $400,000, was a brilliant racemare herself, winning the Listed Merson Cooper S. at two, and placing in the G1 Victoria Oaks at three, and she is a half-sister to Listed winner Sermon (Octagonal) while also being a daughter of Group 2 winner Eureka Jewel (Semipalatinsk) who ran second to Kenbelle (Kenmare {Fr}) in the G1 Australian Oaks.

Newgate graduates

Newgate Farm sold both today’s brilliant juvenile winners from different 2023 yearling drafts.

“Extremely Hardys was consigned at Easter. Bred and raised at Kingstar Farm and she came to us for the preparation and sale, great to see another EC bred by a big supporter and shareholder doing well. A lovely sharp athletic filly, so not a surprise that she debuted in such a fine fashion,” said Newgate Farm’s Jackson Beirs.

Gallery: Newgate Farm sold both today’s brilliant juvenile winners from different 2023 yearling drafts

“Supercilious is out of blue hen Golconda, who has been fantastic mare with two stakes winners. This filly was a lovely filly by Written Tycoon and was well spotted by Troy Corstens and Dean Harvey at the Magic Millions sale. A lovely filly with a big pedigree and great to get a metro win for her.”

Depth of Character’s sister wins again

China Horse Club’s broodmare Caricature (NZ) (Power {GB}) is having a great week with the Listed win of Depth Of Character (Deep Field) last Saturday and then her first foal 3-year-old filly Llanddwyn (Deep Field) winning at Canterbury on Wednesday.

Ridden by Jason Collett, Llanddwyn won by 1.6l from Diamond Model (Akeed Mofeed {GB}) and Prophet’s Pride (Divine Prophet). Llanddwyn took her record to two wins and three placings from ten starts for trainer Chris Waller. She was purchased by Go Bloodstock at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $340,000 from the Sledmere Stud draft.

Depth Of Character became the first stakes winner for The Chase’s yearling drafts when he won the Listed Tattersall’s S. on Saturday.

Deep Field was retired from stud duties in 2023 due to a loss of fertility and has only eleven live foals in his final crop who are now yearlings/rising 2-year-olds. Group placed winner Caricature has a weanling filly by Zoustar on the ground, and is in foal to Russian Revolution.

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions and Donovan + Co

Home to a number of different good bread and butter type stallions over the last few years, Grandview Thoroughbreds closed its stud gates when a too good to refuse proposal was offered to owner Michael Grieve.

“Our kids are at university and we are close to retirement age - closing down probably came a fraction early than we planned but when Malcolm and Michelle Petrofski, who had been clients of our’s in the past, came to us with an offer I thought back to what my dad always said - ‘don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!’

“They were pretty keen to do something different than stand stallions and we’d already done pre-training and spelling so Grandview was already set up for that.

“I am still involved in racing and breeding but I was quite happy to let go of the day to day stuff!”

The Petrofskis have racing experience, Malcolm a keen breeder and racehorse owner for years - and a member of the Townsville Turf Club Committee whilst Michelle holds a trainer’s licence.

Grandview was home to Whitttington and Under the Louvre who moved to Rockhampton, Jet Spur who has been retired, Neorealism (Jpn) who made his way to China and Winning Rupert who now calls Geisel Park Stud, Western Australia home.

Spendthrift now breeders farm

David Moodie’s Hesket Bloodstock along with Ash Hardwick purchased the property that was Spendthrift Australia in 2022 - one which for many years before that operated as Yallambee Stud.

It was on the market for a while but since last December has been home to Maluka Thoroughbreds who moved their small operation from Kilmore to the picturesque Romsey farm in an endeavour that took a fair amount of work and effort.

“It was a big undertaking,” said Maluka’s Luke Anderson -“moving all the horses and the equipment over but it is such a great opportunity.

“Being able to run our business on such an outstanding property with a rich history is exciting for us, and we are able to utilise the facilities created by Spendthrift.”

Working on a farm around three times the size of their previous property has created more opportunities for the Andersons - Luke noting that “with more paddocks and boxes we have been able to expand to other sales such as the Magic Millions and Easter and with the stallion barns already set up that leaned us towards standing a horse.”

That horse being David Moodie’s G3 Blue Diamond Prelude, Listed Blue Diamond Preview and Listed Always Welcome S, winner General Beau, a handsome son of Brazen Beau.

“He got here around six weeks ago,” Anderson said, describing the five-year-old as “a beautiful, strong, forward, precocious type who is really impressive to look at. Coupled with his pedigree and his elite early speed, he ticks a lot of boxes.”

Riversdale North sold to Alma Vale

It was 12 months ago yesterday that Alma Vale purchased what was Riversdale North and the stud’s Verna Metcalfe is happy to celebrate that anniversary with horses under her care at the farm thriving.

“We offer broodmare agistment and have an exceptional foaling down area,” she said, adding that “we are exactly eight minutes from the Scone Veterinary Hospital which is awesome when we have a foaling emergency.”

Also leasing (for the last eight months) Kitchwin Hills, that entire property is now run by Alma Vale (that name to become the official name of the farm next year) - only the stallions, Dubious and Graff - remaining under the Kitchwin Hills banner.

Managing Middlebrook Valley Lodge for over twelve years, Metcalfe was on the look-out for somewhere ideal to raise horses - “you need hills and big paddocks” - and Kitchwin Hills fit the bill.

Lovatsville - a new business

“A completely new business venture” is how Lovatsville’s Sam White describes the Northwood Road property in the heart of Victorian breeding country at the farm that was known as Leneva Park.

Whilst Leneva Park still exists as a business - as partners in Lovatsville and the stallions Fierce Meeting (Jpn) and Royal Meeting (Ire) who remain at the farm - Lovatsville is a business started from scratch by a very passionate and enthusiastic Sam White.

Describing himself a person “happy to take risks,” White has an impressive resume with time spent at Coolmore Stud and the stables of Ciaron Maher whilst also assisting in the running of his wife’s sports marketing company.

“My interest has always focused around breeding and I love the idea of living in the country and nurturing a stallion’s career - it is something that really appeals to me.”

And he loves being in the thick of things, with Darley as neighbours and Swettenham Stud nearby, he joked that “this is the best street in town!”

A group of ten investors make up Lovatsville with Seymour Park’s (the actual name of the property) Darren Thomas and Mark Pilkington part of that group.

White has big plans for Lovatsville which he named after his mother’s family’s farm at Rushworth in homage to their Scottish heritage.

“We are building new infrastructure so that we can house more stallions in the future,” he said, excited to be part of what he called “a rejuvenated Victorian breeding industry,” pointing to the solid investments made by the likes of Yulong, Swettenham and Rosemont Stud.

Cornwall park closes down

Opening its doors at a property in 2021 Cornwall Park sadly closed down this year with Peter Boyle and Lisa Gordon choosing to concentrate on their other successful equestrian media company and move back to Queensland.

Standing such stallions as Soul Patch, Cliff’s Edge, Inference, Boom Time, Johannes Vermeer (Ire), Wyndspelle (NZ) and Danerich, the farm was revitalised for a short time but the increase in expenses and trouble with non-payers saw the couple choose to put more time into their other venture.

Cornwall Park is a property with strong thoroughbred history - purchased by the Trescowthick family in the mid 1980s from when it was known as Cornwall Park. For several years the Independent Stallion Station called the Toolern Vale property home until it was sold in 2017.

A dispersal of the farm’s equipment took place online recently and the couple helped clients find new homes for their horses.

Soul Patch and Cliff’s Edge now stand at Bombora Downs on the Mornington Peninsula whilst Danerich (who was the second last son of Danehill {Ire}) at stud in Australia) has been retired. Boom Time is being exported to Asia and Johannes Vermeer stands at Wyadup Valley Farms at Lancefield. And Wyndspelle moves to Wyndholm Stud at Ballarat.

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Jonker, Winning Rupert and Tycoon Evie (Written Tycoon) - the sorts of fast, talented horses who any major stud would have been proud to breed but who came out of the paddocks of Wicklow Lodge run by boutique breeder Jeff Cullen.

Well past paddocks, Jeff not owning a property at the moment though in the process of looking for a new farm for his current broodmare band of six.

Never breeding with large numbers, Jeff boasts an excellent record of producing classy performers having also bred Matryoshka (I Am Invincible) - the lightly raced mare whose second foal Straight Charge (Written By) proved himself to be one of this season's best 2-year-olds.

Jeff's story starts in childhood. Whilst there was no racing involvement in his family, his sisters enjoyed pony club which sparked his interest. And when one of his sister's horses was stolen from the pony club grounds, his parents were prompted to buy their own property near Cranbourne.

Short lived apprenticeship

And so from thereon horses were a part of Jeff's life and he rode races at the picnics - one of his rivals and friends being the now successful Cranbourne based trainer Mick Kent.

Being just 4ft8 and 43kg when he left school at 15, Jeff gained an apprenticeship with Ken Newman (who would go on to train the high class sprinter Hareeba (Al Hareb {USA}) but, after gaining weight in his first 12 months, never made it to the track.

But he still values his time riding track work, learning about horses.

With his father an avid rugby league fan, the Cullen family moved to Queensland and with a new track at Caloundra opening at the time Jeff was able to continue riding track work.

He also rode at the picnics, on a circuit that was shall we say far from professional!

“I remember riding at one track where the running rail was made of packing tape,” he laughed, “it was all pretty raw and I had to learn quickly.”

Unsure of where someone who had left school early and had no training about from riding could head, Jeff had his future decided by him by a twist of equine fate with a horse he was in the ownership of suffering from a bleeding attack.

Stumbling into breeding

And so he “stumbled into” his first broodmare... Vital Statistic (Strategic), a mare who'd won her maiden in town and another race at the Sunshine Coast.

As a fan of Show A Heart, Jeff chose that Glenlogan Park Stud chestnut as his mare's first mate with the result a colt nice enough to take to the sales.

“My trainer was keen for us to race him so I thought I'd take him to the sales and if he didn't get to reserve we'd race him.”

The reserve was not big but the result was nice, Wicklow's first horse through the ring fetching $100,000 at the 2010 Magic Millions QTIS 600 Yearling Sale.

Whilst not a success on the track - Hair Beauty unplaced in nine starts in Hong Kong - he did give Jeff a taste of commercial selling.

And so he set about accumulating mares, building up a nice band only to lose them in a divorce. But he started again, buying a small group including a couple of very important mares who he secured in different ways.

“I hadn't spoken to Mick Kent for a few years but I decided one day to give him a ring to see if he had any mares for sale.”

A pleasant surprise

“I happened to ring him on the day he'd had a nice filly go amiss - and what ended up being bad luck for her owners ended up being good luck for me.”

Buying the daughter of Kempinsky sight unseen, Jeff had his new acquisition served by Husson (Arg) on her way from Victoria to Queensland and when the truck pulled up at his farm he was in for “a pleasant surprise.”

“She was just such a lovely mare,” he said of the well related Hearts And Arrows - a descendant of (and line-bred 4 X 4 to) Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) who had raced just three times.

Impressively winning her first two Cranbourne starts with Mick Kent holding hopes of Group 1 glory, Hearts And Arrows injured a tendon when contesting, as second favourite, the G3 Auraria S. at her third start.

Whilst her first foal by Husson did not make it to the track, her second by Love Conquers All enjoyed good success - the big boy Beau Arrow winning five races including a couple at metropolitan level.

Her third foal was a smaller, neater package by Eureka Stud's first season sire Spirit Of Boom - a colt Jeff sent to the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Not quite as forward as the other sons of the young stallion, he fetched $45,000.

And years later Jeff jokes - “I sold him for $45,000 and bought a share back in him for $55,000!”

The horse is Jonker, the high quality sprinter who stands at Aquis Farm having won five races including the G1 Manikato S. in which he gamely held off a late finish from Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai).

Two boys at stud

Jonker is not the first stallion carrying the Wicklow Lodge brand, Jeff also breeding two years before a strong chestnut out of a mare he did not pay much for - and a mare he wasn't planning on having.

“I'd spent all my money on my new farm and had three mares I was happy with. One day the feed merchant asked me if I'd be interested in another and I said no, he said 'that's a shame' and began to walk away.

“I decided at the last second to ask him who she was by and he said she was Show A Heart's first winner and one of the best fillies from his first crop.

“That would have to be be Winaura?” Jeff asked, the feed merchant wondering how he knew!

“Having used Show A Heart I was keeping a close eye on his progeny and I saw Winaura debut,” he said, remembering the speed she showed with an Eagle Farm third.

In a race that turned out to be a decent form reference, won by Gold Edition (Lion Hunter).

A Doomben winner at her next start, Winaura travelled south to take on Melbourne's best juveniles in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington. Below her best having not had an ideal flight down but she still showed enough dash to lead a smart field (the race won by the subsequent G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Nadeem), something that stuck in Jeff's mind.

Going on to three metropolitan races before being retired to stud, Winaura had no black-type and little family in regards to commerciality to recommend her so it didn't take much to buy her. But Jeff liked her speed and the fact that she was from a winning family.

And as it happened, Written Tycoon was not only in Queensland that year - but very close to Wicklow Lodge and he looked to be "the perfect match" for Winaura.

A handsome chestnut colt was the result, Jeff hopeful that he would fetch a good sum at the 2015 Gold Coast March Magic Millions Yearling Sale with Barry Bowditch having been impressed by him during a pre-sale inspection.

“I actually had him out to look at another horse but he kept asking after the colt!”

So much did Barry Bowditch like the colt that he purchased him for Bjorn Baker; Jeff disappointed with the $67,500 result but happy to see him head to a strong stable.

The flying Winning Rupert

Beaten only once in a six start career, Winning Rupert won two races in Group company and one at Listed level - always showing blistering speed. Retired to stud at Newgate, his made his way to Grandview Thoroughbreds in Queensland and after that stud closed down, he was sold to Western Australia where he stands at Geisel Park Stud.

Whilst Jeff was not involved in Winning Rupert's racing career - "Barry asked me at the time if I'd like to keep 10 per cent but I said when I sell them, I sell them!" - he did become a shareholder once the colt retired to stud.

He has sent mares to him and hopes to continue doing so, considering getting one of his girls in foal to an eastern state stallion - sending her to Western Australia, selling that foal there and bringing her home in foal to Winning Rupert.

He has also been supporting Jonker, particularly happy with a filly out of his multiple city winner Believe 'n Achieve (Beautiful Crown) who he purchased for $60,000 at the 2012 William Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.

“She is in foal to Stronger but with the Jonker filly being as nice as she is she will go back to him this year.”

Jeff currently has six mares with a policy of selling his colts and keeping the girls - “something that is wise to do when you have good lines going.”

One of those girls is his home-bred G3 Pam O'Neill S. winner Tycoon Evie (Written Tycoon), a full sister to Winning Rupert who he has in foal to Anamoe with a mating to another big name stallion to take place this spring.

Pedigree and performance

“With her pedigree and performance she can go to any stallion in the country,” Jeff said, noting that after research into pedigree and type he has a think about what his mare is worth in relation to service fees.

“If I think she is worth spending $10,000 on, she goes to a $10,000 stallion - if she is a $100,000 mare, she will got to a $100,000 stallion.”

Another mare he has high hopes for is the unraced Culasse (Spirit Of Boom) who was looking good until injury ended her career before she made it to the track. Currently in foal to Lyndhurst Stud's Better Than Ready (another stallion Jeff is a shareholder in), she is also due to head south this spring.

“I had her booked into Too Darn Hot (GB) but with him not shuttling she is on the reserve list to Pierata, hopefully she can get in!”

Meanwhile the 17-year-old Hearts And Arrows - who slipped to Spirit Of Boom this year - will return to that stallion for each of her remaining years at stud. She has a So You Think (NZ) yearling colt whilst her 2-year-old Heart And Spirit (Spirit Of Boom) is a member of the Stuart Kendrick stable having fetched $180,000 at the 2023 William Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Winaura died a few years ago but Jeff has two of her daughters - retaining Tycoon Evie as well as Celtic Empress (Capitalist) who is in foal to Better Than Ready and likely to visit Jonker this spring - Jeff looking forward to bringing his two successful families together.

Whilst he sold Winaura's daughter Matryoshka as a yearling ($80,000 at the Gold Coast), he is excited to see her do well with the G2 Silver Slipper S. winner Straight Charge just her second foal.

“She was served by Zoustar last year so the family is going places.”

And so there have been many ups in Jeff Cullen's career as a breeder though like everyone he has had his share of set-backs.

“Breeding racehorses is like running at walls,” he said. “It's a tough game but when you have success you think for a while that it is easy!”