Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Only three weeks after Ridgmont announced they would sell their Hunter Valley farm and focus on a select broodmare band to be agisted at Newgate Farm, Ridgmont’s owners Cunningham Thoroughbreds have won the $2 million The Invitation with their dual Group 1-winning mare Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard).
Three years after Gary and Lorilie Cunningham entered racing, their family operation has quickly evolved into one of the most astute ownership groups in the country. The Cunninghams first announced themselves in 2021, when they part-sold their American physiotherapy business - which had expanded into 250 locations - to pursue racing more seriously. Their son Mitchell, a former commercial pilot, now manages the family’s bloodstock alongside Jim Clarke (FBAA).
That business background has clearly shaped their approach to racing. They measure success through performance, longevity, and residual value - with Stefi Magnetica perfectly encapsulating that formula.
Stefi headlines the change in strategy
While the sale of Ridgmont Farm represents a major shift, their underlying philosophy remains unchanged: to buy well-bred fillies, race them at the top level, and retain those capable of enhancing the broodmare band once their racing careers are over. Stefi Magnetica, a dual Group 1 winner, embodies that intent.
Mitch Cunningham | Image courtesy of Ridgmont Thoroughbreds
“It’s those joyful days on a racetrack that really keep you engaged with the sport. It’s exciting,” said Mitchell Cunningham.
“Stefi (Magnetica) was one we bought for relatively less money than our average spend on these fillies. She had an enormous page out of a Stradbroke winner. She’s certainly the model that Ridgmont wants to be focusing on moving forward, being fillies with a strong page and backing that up with performance to act as a feeder into our broodmare band.”
“She’s (Stefi Magnetica) certainly the model that Ridgmont wants to be focusing on moving forward, being fillies with a strong page and backing that up with performance to act as a feeder into our broodmare band.” - Mitch Cunningham
Stefi Magnetica was purchased from Cressfield’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for $140,000, and took her earnings beyond $7 million with her victory in The Invitation. The only downside is that The Invitation’s request to be upgraded to Group 2 status has yet to be ratified by the Asian Pattern Committee, so the race remains without official global black type.
“She’s got two Group 1s already but first and foremost as racing fans, you love to be running on these days and winning big races. You never know whether they are going to come back and find the same form as they’ve been showing in prior preps.
“She’s not the sort of horse who wins every start, she picks her races, and it’s heart in mouth stuff wondering whether she’s the same Stefi as we’ve always known.”
Stefi Magnetica as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Baker credited with Stefi Magnetica return to form
Winner of the G1 Stradbroke Handicap at three, and the G1 Doncaster Mile last season at four, 5-year-old mare Stefi Magnetica resumed this spring in the G2 Sheraco Stakes running fourth to Manaal (Tassort).
“It’s very exciting to see her bounce back on a big day of racing. You love to be in those big races and she was extremely good,” said Cunningham.
“For all those who invest in the racing game, these are the days you want to be racing on. We’ve had a few setbacks with Stefi with a slightly interrupted preparation and now she’s back to her best at the right time of year.”
“We’ve had a few setbacks with Stefi with a slightly interrupted preparation and now she’s back to her best at the right time of year.” -Mitch Cunningham
After her fourth in the Sheraco, she went to the trials a month later in mid-October before Saturday’s victory.
“It hasn’t been the most straightforward preparation for her. We had aspirations for her to be in the Sheraco, Golden Pendant, and the King Charles at the mile where she tends to be at her best, but she came out of the Sheraco with a pass mark and a few minor issues that needed a bit of time, and we had to back off her,” said Jim Clarke.
“For her to perform that well as she did yesterday with a big gap between runs and at 1400, was certainly a training performance on Bjorn (Baker)’s part and nicely ridden by Jason Collett.”
Cunningham agrees with the way trainer Bjorn Baker has dealt with Stefi Magnetica’s career. “She’s not a particularly eye catching trialler, and she went into yesterday on the back of a strong trial against (G1 Golden Rose winner) Beiwacht but you never really know until they are under proper race day pressure as to how they will perform.
“I did feel an air of confidence going into it, she looks magnificent at the moment, and she’s as good in the skin as we’ve ever had her, and she was clearly the product of what was an enormous training performance by Bjorn to get her back on track.”
Bjorn Baker | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Melbourne next for the star mare
With the minor setback, Clarke talked about how they’ve had to rethink Stefi Magnetica’s spring program.
“We’ve had to reprogram her spring. In the past she tends to be not as dynamic second up, and hopefully that augers well for her next run in the Champions Mile,” said Clarke with the Champions Mile set to be her third run this campaign.
“She ran well in that last year. She ran in the Golden Eagle and was unlucky there and backed up in seven days to run a good race when fourth (in the Champions Mile). I think the timing will be more suited (this year) and she’s proven at the mile.
“When we had that setback, the Champions Mile was the one we hoped that we could get her to, and The Invitation has proved that she was on track. It gives every confidence that she’ll be very competitive.”
Mitchell Cunningham and Jim Clarke inspecting at the Gold Coast sales complex | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Cunningham added: “To come from lengths back (in The Invitation) and defy track bias on the day, and run over the top of a very good field is a thrill for us all. She’s going to find bad luck with her racing pattern, but in the end she’s won the big ones, the grand finals, and one can only hope this is the start of a really strong preparation for her.
“The mile is her ideal trip, she won’t get further, but that’s certainly where she’s at her peak. The Champions Mile is going to be an enormous race, it might be the race of the spring with the quality of field that’s going there. She’s a deserved starter in a race like that and she’ll be a live chance.”
How to find a bargain at the sales
When looking through a yearling catalogue, the question is always the same - what do you compromise on to find value? For Clarke, Stefi Magnetica was a classic case of pedigree meeting practicality.
“I thought she was a really nice type as a yearling. She wasn’t a big horse, but very well balanced, with everything in the right place, with plenty of natural strength for a smaller horse, and she’s a good mover,” said Clarke.
“As much as anything, she’s out of a top mare, a Stradbroke winner, Mid Summer Music, and (her sire) All Too Hard is proven as a very good stallion, a very reliable stallion who is capable of getting one at the top level.”
Mid Summer Music | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force) has been a good producer, also leaving G3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes winner Hellfest (Fastnet Rock). She sadly died in the spring of 2024 after foaling a full brother to Stefi Magnetica.
Longevity and prizemoney as part of the model
With the prizemoney on offer in Australia, Ridgmont’s focus on racing longevity is central to their strategy.
“We are all systems go. We’ll be doing the Ridgmont fillies partnership again at the yearling sales, and we’ll be buying quite a few yearlings ourselves outside that partnership,” said Cunningham.
Ridgmont also enjoyed wins this week with a pair of 3-year-old fillies. Virgil’s Gift (Street Boss {USA}) won on debut at Kembla Grange for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Virgil’s Gift was a $300,000 purchase from Newgate Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft in 2024. She is a half-sister to Group 3-placed Celestial Bling (Capitalist) out of a winning half-sister to Group 2 winner and sire Zululand.
Go Left (So You Think {NZ}) made it two from two when winning at Ballarat on Friday for trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman. She was a $220,000 purchase from Kenmore Lodge’s 2023 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale draft. Go Left is out of Chit Chat (Anabaa {USA}), a four-time winning daughter of Group 1 winner Upsetthym (NZ) (Rhythm).
“We are looking to be quite active in the market next year both at the yearling and breeding stock sales,” Cunningham said.
“A lot of these race fillies we’ve been buying over the last 6-7 years are starting to retire into the broodmare band now and the model is coming full circle and it’s an exciting time for everyone.
“You can never dream of having a mare of the quality of Stefi (Magnetica). She’s arguably one of the top mares in the country at the moment and they are not all going to be of that quality, but if we can get some black type on to the page of these beautiful fillies, they are really valuable propositions for us going forward.”
Having strong prizemoney at the top level allows racing fans to see more of their favourite mares. “She’s had a few seasons of racing, but there’s no reason why she can’t have a few seasons more if she holds her form,” Clarke said of Stefi Magnetica’s future.
Stefi Magnetica storms home to win the $2 million The Invitation at Randwick on Saturday | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“They are a long time retired and with the prizemoney on offer for horses like her is remarkable. While she’s racing in the same form as she is in the moment, we’d like to keep her going for another season and beyond.
“Look at Via Sistina. Stefi is no Via Sistina, but look at what she’s done (as an older mare) and the amount of money she can earn by racing on. There’s no need to retire and rush them off the stud straight away.”
Others to watch
As well as Stefi Magnetica, and the two progressive 3-year-olds Go Left and Virgil’s Gift, the Cunningham/Ridgmont racing team has several others to keep an eye on.
“(Ridgmont) have had a very good run on the track, they invested in some really nice bloodstock, and fortunately some of these fillies have really started to put their hand up,” said Clarke.
“Arriving Home has been a very good mare, Horseshoe Hill, and they have a meaningful share in Point Barrow, who runs in the Coolmore on Saturday.”
Point Barrow (Blue Point {Ire}) is a last start winner who has won three of her five starts for Anthony and Sam Freedman, and races in the Halo Racing colours. Arriving Home (I Am Invincible) is a 4-year-old mare trained by Bjorn Baker who won her first two starts at three and was placed in the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas last season.
Point Barrow | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Horseshoe Hill (All Too Hard) ran third on debut at two in the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic before winning at her next start. The 3-year-old filly is trained by Bjorn Baker and is currently spelling.
“There’s a couple of really well bred 3-year-old fillies called Tomato Toastie and Beside The Ocean who are both back in work and hopefully can be black type fillies in the future.”
Tomato Toastie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) won two of her three starts at two for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. She was a $140,000 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale purchase from Segenhoe Stud and is out of a half-sister to Group 1 winner English (Encosta De Lago).
Trained by Chris Waller, 3-year-old filly Beside The Ocean (Zoustar) won her maiden at start two in August. She is a half-sister to G1 Golden Slipper winner and sire Farnan, and Listed winner and sire Sandbar. Vinery Stud sold her to the Cunningham family for $250,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Clarke said the family’s focus remains clear: “A lot of horses we’ve bought for the Cunninghams are fillies who have nice residual value if they can perform on the track and we were pretty particular about the horses we bought for Ridgmont last year. We’ll do the same again next season. It’s a nice spot in the market where you buy future broodmares while enjoying racing along the way.”
