Cover image courtesy of Kitchwin Hills
On Monday, Kitchwin Hills announced that resident Graff will return at the same fee of $9900 inc GST as 2024, and Director Steven Brown is confident that the stallion’s first 2-year-olds, led by dual-winner and G2 Champagne Classic-placed Grafterburners, will have turned a few heads ahead of the covering season.
Currently the cheapest stallion in the top 10 of the first season sires’ premiership, Graff occupies sixth spot by prizemoney and has chalked up four individual winners from nine to race, which has Brown excited for what’s to come as his first crop turns three. His total progeny earnings to date sit at $541,500, which averages $60,167 per individual starter; a better earnings ratio than Wootton Bassett (GB) and Farnan.
“The Graff 2-year-olds immediately had substance to them,” he told The Thoroughbred Report. “They all seem to savage the line and be very strong horses.”
Future in mind
Something that Brown has noticed is a number of 'unique' pedigree combinations amongst Graff’s offspring.
“Some of the pedigree guys were really excited by him. It was a little bit unusual, given he was a bit off the radar in terms of high profile stallions, but the pedigree guys were saying they haven't seen these sort of matches by many stallions before, so we went into the (racing) season with a little bit of hope.”
A son of Star Witness, it would make sense that Graff would match well with the Danehill (USA) line of sires, particularly Fastnet Rock, but Grafterburners’ introduces a different line of Danehill with his damsire Dylan Thomas (Ire). His dam Coralina comes from one of racing's high value families; out of Bahia (Snippets), she is a half-sister to G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Overreach (Exceed And Excel) and Corumbene Stud’s resident stallion Standout.
Graff will stand for $9900 inc GST in 2025 | Standing at Kitchwin Hills
Likewise, Graff’s daughter Royal Chic, a $350,000 yearling and half-sister to Group 1-winning mare Royal Merchant (Merchant Navy), is out of a Seventh Reason mare, bringing forth an uncommon strain of Sadler’s Wells (USA).
“He’s (Graff) shown to date that he has a future,” Brown said. Grafterburners remains the shining light of his debut crop; the winner of the $500,000 QTIS 2YO Jewel came a gallant sixth in the G1 JJ Atkins at the weekend.
“He’s (Graff) shown to date that he has a future.” - Steve Brown
“Grafterburners ran on a couple of very wet tracks in a row from the widest gate and I think it probably told on him when it came to the JJ Atkins,” Brown said. “Hopefully he’ll go out, have a freshen up, and come back in for the spring.”
Grafterburners’ Jewel win came from barrier 15, and the colt still managed to put a tidy length on his opposition. He was saddled with barrier 10 for his Champagne Classic placing.
Royal Chic added valuable black type to her name with the Listed Oxlade Stakes, the Atkins’ undercard, where she finished third to Brave Design (Brave Smash {Jpn}).
“I'll be surprised if the form guys don't jump all over her,” Brown said. “If you watch the race, she was flying home against the pattern.
“We’re hearing a lot of good things about Graff’s offspring in general. Everyone that’s got one, they’re all quite keen on them. You can’t manufacture that.”
“Everyone that’s got (a Graff), they’re all a little bit keen on them. You can’t manufacture that.” - Steve Brown
Keeping the dream alive
Brown has been pleased to see the Kitchwin Hills’ clientele and breeders across the Hunter Valley patronise their stallion.
“Australian Bloodstock, one of his major shareholders, are right behind the horse,” he said. “Amarina Farm bred Royal Chic. I was speaking to (leading country trainer) Brett Cavanough recently and he was saying that, when he came to see Graff parade, straight away he thought that this horse will produce racehorses, just because of that overall substance.
“When he (Brett Cavanough) came to see Graff parade, straight away he thought that this horse will produce racehorses, just because of that overall substance.” - Steve Brown
“We were tempted to put his fee up, but given the economic climate and how hard it is for breeders, we thought it was appropriate just to leave it there, and hopefully everyone has a win.”
A recurring theme through the 2025 sales season has been the strength at the top - and the worries amongst breeders and vendors in the middle and lower end of the market. In response, several stallions across the country have taken slashes to their fee, regardless of market and racetrack performance.
Steve Brown | Image courtesy of Kitchwin Hills
One of the most public cuts has been to I Am Invincible’s fee, which has lowered to $220,000 inc GST from a career high in 2023 of $302,500; a move Yarraman Park have said is to give back to those who have continued to invest in him, and a recognition of the rise in breeding costs.
Brown placed importance on not letting the reward be outlaid by the risk for breeders and owners participating in the lower half.
“Ultimately, if we can maintain what is a wonderful prizemoney environment, then at the end of the day, that's going to keep the dream alive,” he said. “And hopefully these breeders will still breed, because there will be buyers out there, because there’s always that major outcome possible.
“The challenge is ensuring that the current system continues to have strong financial returns.”
A fruitful partnership
Kitchwin Hills has wrapped up its second sales season in partnership with Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, who sold Kitchwin horses under their own banner this year. The relationship has been going from strength to strength, and Brown was pleased to see Alma Vale finish as leading vendors by aggregate at the Inglis Australian Broodmare and Inglis Australian Weanling Sales, and have strong returns across the sales board.
“They’re wonderful people,” Brown said. “They’re honest, hardworking people who are good at what they do, and it’s been a good working relationship between us where we really like each other. It might not have been quite what we envisioned for the future of Kitchwin Hills, but it was the pathway we needed to go down and we are very lucky to have this partnership with them.”
“They’re (Alma Vale Thoroughbreds) honest, hardworking people who are good at what they do.” - Steve Brown
The plans so far are to continue along the same route at future sales; Alma Vale will offer Kitchwin Hills-bred yearlings under their banner. Amongst their top sells this season, they sold a Kitchwin Hills-bred colt by Brutal (NZ) out of six-time winner Dagny (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) for $200,000 and a Dundeel (NZ) son of multiple Group-placed One More Try (Dane Shadow) for $180,000.
“It’s certainly the plan, and they’ve been doing a wonderful job,” said Brown. “They’re preparing horses that are coming off of a farm that has a very strong track record of producing topline racehorses. What Kitchwin produces, they get to work with.”
