Cover image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Racing Images)
Well known Scone farm manager Verna Metcalfe now runs Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, based out of the old Kitchwin Hills property as well as a new farm closer to Scone. They will present 22 yearlings in their inaugural Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft.
First or second, it's all in the semantics
“It’s technically our second draft for Classic, as we did a draft last year in conjunction with Kitchwin Hills so people would understand the transition to our new venture,” said Metcalfe.
“We have Kitchwin Hills, which we’ve rebranded as Alma Vale Gundy and a new property in Scone which is Alma Vale Scone. In our first draft, last year, we had some very nice horses including The Magic Man who we sold to Paul Perry and he’s in the line up for the Inglis Millennium, and we had a trial winner today.”
Verna Metcalfe | Image courtesy of Alma Vale
The Magic Man (Showtime) is currently ninth in the order of entry for the Inglis Millennium, to be run on February 8 at Randwick. The Magic Man was purchased by Paul Perry for $40,000, and has had four starts for three second placings with earnings over $69,000.
Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou trained 2-year-old filly Perle Du Chocolat (Astern) won a trial at Randwick on Monday which was her first public outing since running fifth in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes on debut. She was a $120,000 purchase by R Unicorn Stable and Satomi Oka Bloodstock (FBAA).
Leaving Middlebrook was emotional
Metcalfe has been a Scone local for a long time and was previously at Middlebrook Valley Lodge. “I was at Middlebrook for 13 years, and brought that farm up to a high standard. We sold Proisir and Divine Prophet, and I still have their dam Prophet Jewel, she’s a granny mare now. I was instrumental in those two horses and a lot of other good ones off the farm,” said Metcalfe.
Gallery: Stallions bred while Verna Metcalfe was at Middlebrook Valley Lodge
Prophet Jewel (Encosta De Lago) is the dam of Group 1 winner and sire Divine Prophet, who now stands in New Zealand, and Champion NZ Sire Proisir. Her latest foal is a 2024 filly by State Of Rest (Ire).
“It was a very difficult move (leaving Middlebrook). When I was offered the chance with Alma Vale, it was exciting to get involved with where we are taking this farm for the new owners. I have a small piece of ownership in the business. The people who own Alma Vale are very good people who are passionate about building the farm in a functional way.
New owners are investing in Alma Vale
The new owners in Alma Vale are investing in the future of the farm across the two properties that now operate under the Alma Vale banner. “Everything at the Alma Vale Scone property is brand new. We’ve built a new stable complex, foaling centre, walking machine, it’s all state of the art. We foaled 180 mares this spring and being only three minutes from the veterinary centre was hassle free. It’s amazing to be so close to their facilities.
Alma Vale Yearling Preparation Facility | Image courtesy of Alma Vale Thoroughbreds
“The Scone farm is a nice property for starting foals, and then we send them all up to Alma Vale Gundy to be reared out on the hills. That farm is quite hilly and grows them out well. Horses do well on that land, and having the transition between the two farms is very smooth for the horses.”
Metcalfe was very clear on how building a farm isn’t just about the practicalities, it’s about forming long term relationships with people. “I have a lot of very loyal clients, and Alma Vale offers the whole service for people. We arrange matings and do sales and then take a horse through education and pre-training. It’s a good business model with a ‘whole of life’ process for a horse.”
The 2025 Inglis Classic draft
In understated terms, Metcalfe described their Classic draft as “full of nice horses” and outlined the unique way they have ended up with Lot 491, the Stay Inside half-sister to To Cap It All (Capitalist). “We sold the filly for Ridgmont as a weanling, but we liked her so clients of ours bought her for this draft.”
To Cap It All won the Listed Wellesley Stakes in New Zealand on debut, and the juvenile filly is the third foal of winning mare Oh My Mimi (Snitzel) who is a daughter of Group 2 winner and R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Mimi Lebrock (Show A Heart). The Stay Inside yearling filly was sold by Alma Vale/Kitchwin Hills at the 2024 Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale for $170,000 to Blackridge Farm, and has returned to the fold for her yearling preparation.
“The Rockolicious is a lovely filly. She’s a stand-out on type and it’s a nice pedigree.” Lot 588 is by Stay Inside and is fourth foal of proven mare Rockolicious (Fastnet Rock) who was five races including the Listed Geelong Rosemont Stud Stakes, and her first three foals to race are all winners including 3-year-old Sexy And I Moet (Pierro) who won twice in the early spring and was fourth to Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) in the G2 Soliloquoy Stakes. She trialled recently ahead of an autumn campaign.
Gallery: Some of the yearlings on offer in Alma Vale's Inglis Classic draft, images courtesy of Inglis
“I bred Can’t Get Enough and Big Parade at Middlebrook, and it’s rewarding to have the Farnan and see the families coming through. It also demonstrates that some of my clients are sticking by me with the move to Alma Vale.”
Winning mare Can’t Get Enough (I Am Invincible) is the dam of Lot 93, a Farnan colt who is her first foal. Can’t Get Enough is a half-sister to G3 Sydney Stakes winner and G1 Galaxy Handicap-placed Big Parade (Deep Field).
“I bred Can’t Get Enough and Big Parade at Middlebrook, and it’s rewarding to have the Farnan and see the families coming through.” - Verna Metcalfe
“The Tennesse Girl is a very nice colt too.” Lot 713, the Proisir colt is out of Tennessee Girl (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) who is half-sister to Nashville (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) who won the G1 Otaki Maori WFA Stakes twice.
