Cover image courtesy of Hannover Lodge
Continuing The Thoroughbred Report’s ‘Breaker’s Insight’ series, TTR AusNZ’s next stop was the Hannover Farm, where we spoke with General Manager Hinnerk Hüeppe.
A love of horses has always guided Hinnerk Hüeppe’s life and in 2009, he took the opportunity to travel from Germany to Australia to work with showjumpers. Soon after, he discovered horse racing and in 2017, he founded Hannover Lodge, named after his birth place.
Hinnerk Hüeppe | Image courtesy of Hannover Lodge
Specialists in education, pre-training, sales preparation, rehabilitation, and spelling, Hannover Lodge have had 90 of yearlings through their education system this year.
Taking the leap from Europe to Australia
“I’m originally from Germany and used to be on the German Young Riders show jumping squad team. My family are all in horses but there’s not much money in it, so I studied media consulting and had an event catering company,” said Hüeppe.
“I came to Australia for three months of travel, and worked for Alice Cameron Oaks Sporthorses who breeds some of the best lines worldwide for showjumping. She had a few horses at the Olympics recently and continues to breed future champions. Then I worked for Julie Ritchie, managing her farm Wild Oaks under the guidance of Tony Hall and Roy Davis for about four and half years also then helped Melanie O’Gorman set up her racing operation in Scone.”
“I came back to Hawkesbury and rode trackwork for the likes of Richard Freedman and Brad Widdup, Jason and Lucy Attard, in preparation for setting up Hannover Lodge in 2017. I met my wife Jade after that, she’s an event rider and has been on the Australian squad for the last 15 years. Now we have two properties, one of 30 acres for our eventers and some rehabilitation horses, and Hannover Lodge on 120 acres with 120-140 horses all year around. We are specialists in full care, we manage our client’s horses from breaking in to their full riding education, their injuries and their spelling. We work closely with our owners and their chosen trainers to ensure we give the horses their best life and best chance at being a champion. We handle surgery aftercare, wound healing with laser treatments, and rehabilitation of tendons and other injuries. It’s a passion of ours to see every horse we deal with to reach their full potential.
Jade Findlay | Image courtesy of Hannover Lodge
“At first, we grew by about 30 horses a year, and now we educate between 80 and 100 young horses each year. We are just as passionate about trying to produce great young people for the industry with our contacts and an equestrian world background offering them the endless opportunities racing provides. If people want to work with horses, they need to be in racing. There’s no money in equestrian sports, it needs to have other businesses to finance it, but racing combines the love of horses with a profitable career.”
Graduates from Hannover Lodge
In the seven years since Hannover Lodge started, they’ve had many top horses spell at their property or come to them for injury rehabilitation, as well as many exciting youngsters through their gates for education.
“We’ve had some good successful horses come through via the Snowdens, such as Paris Dior, and King Of Sparta, as well as from other trainers such as John Sargent’s Gin Martini and So Dazzling, and Mick Price and Michael Kent Junior’s I’m Thunderstruck and Jacquinot.”
Gallery: Some of the top-class horses that have spent time at Hannover Lodge
Paris Dior (Pierro) won the 2022 G2 Percy Sykes S., while King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible) won eight races and over $3.5million including the G2 Expressway and is a Magic Millions carnival star winning the 2022 R-Listed Magic Millions Guineas, the 2023 Magic Millions Sprint and 2024 Magic Millions Snippets Plate.
Dual Group 1 winner I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) was a fan favourite with his seven wins netting his connections over $8 million, while dual Group 1 winner Jacquinot currently stands at Widden Stud where his first foals are due in 2024.
“You know a special horse, they are just different, it’s an honour to be around them.”
“You know a special horse, they are just different, it’s an honour to be around them.” - Hinnerk Hüeppe
Hannover Lodge loves So You Think
“I have tremendous positive feedback for So You Think as a broodmare sire. We’ve had around 10 this year out of So You Think mares that I was very impressed with. Any style of horse, stayer or sprinters, they are all beautiful.”
So You Think (NZ), sire of 57 stakes winners, is now making his mark as a damsire with six stakes winners led by G1 Golden Slipper winner Fireburn (Rebel Dane) and European Group 1 winner Puchkine (Fr) (Starspangledbanner).
So You Think (NZ) | Standing at Coolmore
“I’ve been impressed with Cosmic Force. He’s underrated and now he’s started to get more suited mares. The ones we’ve had had exceptional brains and great trainability.”
Cosmic Force’s oldest crop are 3-year-olds, and he has 11 winners including four stakes placed individuals. Cosmic Force won the G2 Roman Consul S. at three.
“The Wootton Bassett’s are beautiful, scopey strong individuals who are quite intelligent. I look forward to seeing more of them on the track.”
“The Wootton Bassett’s are beautiful, scopey strong individuals who are quite intelligent. I look forward to seeing more of them on the track.” - Hinnerk Hüeppe
Wootton Bassett (GB) sits in an interesting space, as a proven sire in Europe with his first runners in Australia having just turned two. In Europe, Wootton Basset has 48 stakes winners, led by nine at Group 1 level including Cambridge Stud sire Almanzor (Fr).
First season sires who have impressed
“Peltzer could be an under the radar sire, good value for money, his stock look very forward and sharp.” Peltzer continues the So You Think theme for Hüeppe. The G2 Stan Fox S. winner stands at Twin Hills Stud where he has 65 foals in his first crop of 2-year-olds.
“King’s Legacy. His horses are classy and scopey, big strong horses, with a lot of class about them. I didn’t have one that I didn’t like and I love the way they move.” A dual Group 1 winning juvenile, King’s Legacy trained on at three to place in the G1 Golden Rose. He stands at Coolmore Stud and has 138 foals in his first crop.
Gallery: Some of the first-season sires that have made an impression at Hannover Lodge
“We only had a couple of Farnan’s, not enough to judge him overall, but ours were nice types, forward thinking horses.” G1 Golden Slipper winner Farnan stands at Kia Ora Stud and has 119 foals in his first crop.
“Anders looks to be throwing Not A Single Doubt, especially in size. They are very forward sprinting type of horses with a feistiness about them. Sharp types.” Widden Stud’s G3 San Domenico S. winner Anders has been very popular with 127 foals in his first crop, and his speed has been a big selling point.
“Anders looks to be throwing Not A Single Doubt, especially in size. They are very forward sprinting type of horses with a feistiness about them.” - Hinnerk Hüeppe
“I’ve got a beautiful Lucky Vega in my Ready2Race draft. He’s a big strong individual who is clever, sensible and ground covering.” Lot 164 in the Inglis Ready2Race Sale is from the first crop of Group 1 winner Lucky Vega (Ire), who stands at Yulong and has 81 2-year-olds ready to run for him. Lot 164 is out of four-race winner Soosa Rama (Bel Esprit) from the family of Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Elliptical (Dundeel {NZ}).
“The Ole Kirk’s reminded me a lot of last year’s Too Darn Hot’s first crop in personality. Dominant, opinionated, tough horses who will be interesting to watch hitting the track.” Vinery Stud’s Ole Kirk was a dual Group 1 winner and has been popular at stud and at the sales. He has 121 foals in his first crop.
Any special ones to watch?
“The So You Think filly out of Miss Foxwood, a very interesting horse that’s worth waiting for and I love the sire.” Group 3-placed city winner Miss Foxwood (Fastnet Rock) is a daughter of dual Group 1 winner Foxwood (NZ) (Centaine) who also produced Group 3 winner and G1 Toorak Handicap-placed Rockwood (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}). The 2-year-old So You Think (NZ) filly is Miss Foxwood’s sixth foal. Miss Foxwood has already produced four winners including stakes placed winning 4-year-old mare Rubicon Crossing (Rubick). This 2-year-old filly was a $310,000 purchase by DGR Thoroughbreds (FBAA) from Segenhoe Stud’s 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
So You Think (NZ) x Miss Foxwood (filly) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“Written Tycoon out of Vaayala is a standout colt from this year's Inglis Easter sale. He is showing intelligence and trainability whilst handling his work with ease.” Recently named Money Tycoon, he was purchased by Magus Equine for $500,000 from Cannon Hayes Stud at the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. Vaayala (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) is a winning half-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Dundeel (NZ). Vaayala has produced stakes placed winner Rockland (Snitzel) and Group 1-placed winner Valalie (Snitzel).
“The Autumn Sun filly from Tall Blonde. A very impressive filly. She is presenting herself as intelligent and very forward. Whilst she will be a great filly later on, she might just have what it takes to be also competitive as a 2-year-old.” Named Autumn Blonde, this filly is the first foal of unraced mare Tall Blonde (Shalaa {Ire}), who is a half-sister to Group 2 winner and young sire Doubtland, and to Listed winner Pretty Fast (Not A Single Doubt). Autumn Blonde was purchased by Tricolours Racing for $80,000 from Arrowfield Stud’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft.
“The Autumn Sun filly from Tall Blonde. A very impressive filly. Whilst she will be a great filly later on, she might just have what it takes to be also competitive as a 2-year-old.” - Hinnerk Hüeppe
“I loved the Iffranesia colt (by Snitzel) heading to Peter Snowden. He is an exceptionally strong and powerful colt with an impressive physique.” Iffranesia (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}) was a talented mare who won nine races in France including the Listed Chantilly Prix de Bonneval. This colt, named Beadman, is her fourth foal, and she has produced one winner, 4-year-old gelding Second Son (The Autumn Sun). Beadman was sold by Arrowfield Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $900,000 to China Horse Club, Newgate Farm, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy.
