Cover image courtesy of Lime Country Thoroughbreds
Lime Country Thoroughbreds has developed a strong affinity with the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, and Greg and Jo Griffin’s operation is heading back to Riverside following a standout 2024 sale.
Last year, the team cracked the top 10 vendors by average ($126,562), achieved a top sale of $300,000, and ranked in the top five by overall gross ($2,025,000), with 16 of their 18 offerings finding buyers.
Now, they return with even more momentum—three of their 2024 graduates are set to contest the $2 million R. Listed Inglis Millennium this Saturday at Royal Randwick.
Greg Griffin | Image supplied
Three 'very nice yearlings'
One of them is Rivellino (Too Darn Hot {GB}), a $180,000 purchase by Lees Racing/Bahen Bloodstock who was very impressive winning on debut at Randwick on January 4 over 1000 metres when defeating The Magic Man (Showtime). He has franked the form since, running a tidy second behind boom colt Wodeton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at his last start.
Rivellino | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He was always a sharp 2-year-old type," said Jo Griffin. “He had plenty of strength, a lovely head and he had plenty of swag about him. He was a lovely mix of Too Darn Hot and So You Think and he always fancied himself.”
“It was no surprise to see him out running and winning early as he always thought that he owned the joint.”
Kujenga (King’s Legacy) won in stylish fashion at Wyong on January 11, with Griffin reflecting that she was a very good value purchase by Triple Crown Syndication for $70,000.
Griffin recalled assessing potential draftees at Segenhoe Stud in preparation for the sales, describing her as “The best on ground, type-wise. She was a lovely filly. She was very good buying - Triple Crown have done well buying off us in the past also.”
Kujenga | Image courtesy of Sportpix
The last of the three graduates was the Jamieson Park bred Sanctified (NZ) and Griffin remembers that the $260,000 son of Super Seth “Was incredibly popular and made really good money. He had a lovely action, was light on his feet, good quality and had lovely shape about him.”
“Gerald and Sterling were very keen and had to fight to get him. It’s no surprise that he has shown talent early.”
“All three are all out of mares by good proven sires, So You Think, All Too Hard and O’Reilly. They also probably identify more as 3-year-old types so there is a lot of hope that these horses will train on.”
“These three horses have all gone to very good trainers which is so important. They are already a step ahead as a result.”
Sanctified (NZ) | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Partnerships with Segenhoe Stud and Jamieson Park
Lime Country's collaboration with Segenhoe Stud and Jamieson Park underscores the value of strong partnerships in identifying and preparing top-quality horses for the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
With Segenhoe Stud not presenting its own draft at the sale, the collaboration allows Lime Country to leverage the expertise of Peter O’Brien and the Segenhoe team, ensuring they bring well-suited, high-quality stock to the market. The ongoing success of this partnership is a testament to how seamlessly the two operations work together.
Lime Country Stud | Image supplied
The long-standing partnership with Jamieson Park in New Zealand, now spanning five years, continues to be a key advantage for Lime Country. Griffin highlights the unique opportunity to hand-pick horses directly from Jamieson Park’s paddocks, ensuring they have access to some of the farm’s most promising talent for preparation and sale.
“We have had very good success with horses like Holymanz who has won nearly $800,000 and been Group-placed and Olympic Park looks very promising and he placed in the West Australian Guineas at his last start.”
“This demonstrates that the partnership has consistently paid off.”
“We look to offer top shelf stock and these partnerships help with that, we make our draft and try to bring the horses to the sale that are suited best.” - Jo Griffin
Griffin outlined that “We look to offer top shelf stock and these partnerships help with that, we make our draft and try to bring the horses to the sale that are suited best.”
The Lime Country way
When asked on what she thought the market was going to be ahead of the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Griffin was quick to reply, “It’s no secret that it’s going to be a tighter market and it is definitely going to be more challenging with the bottom half of horses.”
“We aren't just a stud farm and we don't have to sell everything in the paddock. We try to curate and select the draft carefully and like to think of ourselves like a high-end department store, with all the different brands on different levels that allows something for everyone.”
“We like to think of ourselves like a high-end department store, with all the different brands on different levels that allows something for everyone.” - Jo Griffin
“We know that the market may be tough but we are bringing horses that we are confident with and believe that they will find a home. We are confident in our product and have purposely kept our 16 horse draft very tight; there is very little tail to our draft.”
“We only presented 18 horses last year and 16 of them sold, from there 3 have ended up in the Millennium this weekend, we are very proud of that.”
Mares in Dam | Image supplied
The need to change and evolve: good staff are essential
When quizzed about what changes Lime Country has made in recent years Griffin replied “We always want to improve in all areas, but one particular thing we have done is we have invested heavily in our staff.”
“We always want to improve in all areas, but one particular thing we have done is we have invested heavily in our staff.” - Jo Griffin
“It is such a quick turn around from Magic Millions, we need to have quality staff at home to look after the horses. We had great staff on-site at Magics but importantly we left a great group of people at the farm.”
“It does cost a lot, but you need a good team around you and to have confidence in them. The most pleasing thing is that we can see the results. The team concept is very important.”
Lime Country Staff | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Diverse draft set to sell at Classic
One quick-look at the draft Lime Country is taking to Riverside this week, and the diversity of the offering immediately sticks out.
The old cliche of ‘there’s something for everyone’ does certainly look to ring true when examining this draft, with a wide array of stallions and pedigree influences present in their 16-strong offering.
There are first-season sires such as Wild Ruler and Home Affairs joined by established stallions like Written Tycoon, Capitalist, Almanzor (Fr), Proisir, Russian Revolution, Pierro, Tarzino (NZ), So You Think (NZ) and The Autumn Sun.
“We've tried to really focus on what the market wants at the sale, and I think one of the joys of being a consignment farm versus a stud farm is that you get to put your drafts together.”
“I think one of the joys of being a consignment farm versus a stud farm is that you get to put your drafts together.” - Jo Griffin
“We love the Classic Sale and have traditionally done very well here. I think the quality of our draft tells the story when most of these horses could have slotted in at the Inglis Premier Sale, or Karaka Book 1 or at Magic Millions.”
“It is a very good, even draft.” Griffin emphasised the point when looking ahead to the start of the sales that "You can’t just blame the market, when you don’t offer what the buyers want.”
“I am confident we have what people want, the appetite for the right horse is insatiable, the money is there.”
“You can’t just blame the market, when you don’t offer what the buyers want. I am confident we have what people want, the appetite for the right horse is insatiable, the money is there.” - Jo Griffin
“We have invested heavily in broodmares and you can see that now. We have got lots of nice mares, with good pages, they are being well mated and they have plenty of upside.”
