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!’
Grandview Thoroughbreds | Image courtesy of Grandview Thoroughbreds
“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.
“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.” - Malcolm Petrofski
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.
Spendthrift Farm | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“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.”
“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.” - Luke Anderson
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.
Mags and Luke Anderson
“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.”
Verna Metcalfe | Image courtesy of Inglis
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.
Lovatsville | Image courtesy of Corcoran Parker Real Estate
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.”
“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.” - Sam White
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.
Sam White
“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 Stud
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 has been retired.”
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.
