Cover image courtesy of Bombora Downs
Winnasedge (Cliff’s Edge) winning the G3 Sir John Monash Stakes gave plenty of satisfaction to breeder Ross Hulbert who also bred and raced his sire. Now owned by Andrew Wilson, Cliff’s Edge stands at Bombora Downs. The Mornington Peninsula farm have become specialists in standing stallions on behalf of small breeders.
The first stakes winner for Cliff’s Edge, Winnasedge is one of three winners out of the unraced Magnus mare Anuddawinna, who is a half-sister to the six-time winner and Listed-placed Imperial Command (Commands).
Second generation for Holbert
Ross Holbert and partners bred Cliff’s Edge, who was a winner at Caulfield at two, then won the G2 Alister Clarke Stakes and two Group 3 races at three. At four he added the G2 Crystal Mile, training on to add a few more group placings at five. The group also bred Winnasedge and race him with trainer Nick Ryan.
“Winnasedge is the first foal we bred with Cliff’s Edge who we also bred. He's a special little horse to us because he's like Cliffy was when he was little. He was very independent. He didn't go near his mum much, used to just run away in the paddock and you can go and play with him,” Holbert said.
“Cliff’s Edge was just short of winning a Group 1. He had an injury as a late 3-year-old and I think that probably just took the edge off him. He couldn't quite get a Group 1, but he was a good consistent horse, as this bloke is.
“Winnasedge has only been beaten in any race for about 2.5 lengths. He always puts a good effort. In looks, he’s more like Cliff’s Edge in build, because his dam was a real stocky filly. She showed a lot of promised but got injured about a week before she was due to race.”
“I don’t own Cliffy anymore but I send a mare to him every year. He's thrown some bloody nice horses.”
Ross Holbert | Image courtesy of Racing.com
An upgrader from limited opportunities
A son of five-time Group 1 winner Canford Cliffs (Ire), Cliff’s Edge is one of 32 stakes winners for his sire. He’s from the Taufan (USA) sire line, best known in Australia for G1 Caulfield Cup winner Taufan’s Melody (GB).
“The stallion game is pretty tough. You've got to be a superstar to really make a name for yourself, but I do think Cliff’s Edge is one of those rare horses that does upgrade his mares,” said Bombora Downs’ manager Christoph Bruechert said.
“Cliffy has had limited opportunities right along. We didn't have him to start with, so I’m not sure what book he got in his first year, but all up he’s got about 27 named foals with 22 starters at this point, of which he's had 11 winners.”
Cliff's Edge | Standing at Bombora Downs
His first crop, who are 4-year-olds, number 24 live foals. Since then, he’s had a total of 33 live foals across his next four crops. His first crop has 10 winners from 18 runners, while he has had one 3-year-old winner from four runners in that crop.
“I have said for a while that I think Cliff’s Edge is a very good horse, whether we never get to see how good he is or not will depend on what support we can get, and I think we need a bit of luck at this point to get some real support for the horse.
“I have said for a while that I think Cliff’s Edge is a very good horse... and I think we need a bit of luck at this point to get some real support for the horse.” - Christoph Bruechert
“My take on it is, that your bigger farms with high profile stallions get high profile mares with large numbers that end up in good stables, and in a large part, the mares make the stallion. It’s a rare stallion that upgrades his mares and I suspect Cliff’s Edge is one of those horses.
“We just need enough people to agree with me and give him a real chance with some nice mares.”
Taking a punt on a good type
Cliff’s Edge had ability but without a commercially attractive pedigree, he was always going to find it tough at gain any traction at stud. But there is plenty to like about him.
“He's a pretty neat package. He's bigger than he looks. He’s 16.1 but he's just a really neat horse. He has got a fabulous personality. He's the easiest horse to deal with. Anyone on the farm can deal with him. He's great in the shed. Fertility's good. From a physical and personal point of view, I can't fault him,” Bruechert said.
“We love him. I’d like to be able to go out and get him the mares he needs to give him a real opportunity, but I don’t have those resources.
“Unless you’re right on the commercial end of the spectrum with stallions, it is extremely hard to get support, let alone support from quality mares that will get into good stables. It's a long road, and there's just not that many people left (in breeding) with the wherewithal and the courage to do that.”
Christoph Bruechert | Image courtesy of Bomborda Downs
Cliff’s Edge is now owned by Andrew Wilson who supports the horse, but as Bruechert says, “he’s only one man.”
“It’s a fickle game. It doesn't take a lot to get people to sit up and take interest. We'll get a few phone calls out of that run yesterday and Winnasedge will likely start in another Group 3 in a fortnight.”
Things could boom for Cliff’s Edge if all goes to plan, with Nick Ryan setting him for the G1 Oakleigh Plate in the upcoming season.
“Nick wants to target the Oakleigh Plate with him. He wanted to run him in the Oakleigh Plate last year. The plan was to have one run in the spring and set him for the Oakleigh Plate but he chipped his knee and that went down the gurgler. This year, he won’t get in on the minimum like last year, but we’ll see. We know he likes the track anyway,” said Holbert.
Nick Ryan | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
With such small numbers, the odds are against Cliff’s Edge and that’s something Bruechert is aware of. Cliff’s Edge has sired two other city winners, Escarpa, whose three wins have netted $157,000 for her connections and Verona Rupes who has earnings of $156,000.
“He's not the only horse that Cliffy’s got that's shown a bit, but he has very limited opportunities. If you are going to breed a racehorse and you had a spare mare in the paddock, you’d be mad if you didn’t send her down her to Cliff’s Edge,” Bruechert said.
“I'm a realist, but also I feel in my guts, he is a good horse. Now it’s whether he gets the chance to prove it or not.”
Bombora Downs stallion strategy
Bombora Downs stands six stallions, but none of them would be classed as anywhere near commercially attractive in the yearling ring. In a world that is getting more and more expensive, the model is a fascinating one. It wasn’t a choice Bruechert made deliberately, but rather one that evolved out of necessity.
“Most of our stallions are here to cover the books of the owners in the stallions, and if we can generate some outside interest, that’s a bonus,” Bruechert said.
“Most of our stallions are here to cover the books of the owners in the stallions, and if we can generate some outside interest, that’s a bonus.” - Christoph Bruechert
“I used to have horses that attracted outside clients, but I cannot get those horses nowadays, on account of the amount of money required to buy a horse sexy enough to attract outside interest in any real sense. To get a horse that's got any real commercial appeal, you're talking millions."
Bombora Downs | Image courtesy of Bombora Downs
When you don't have millions, there's a different approach to be taken.
“Like any other business, it’s get big or get out, or get niche.
“We survive by providing a diverse range of services. We foal down 100 plus mares every year for local breeders, that’s our bread and butter. We do yearling sales, not that we make any money out of it, but we do that as a service. And in the last few years I've taken on stallions that commercial farms would not be interested in. They are horses that most smaller farms don't have the staff or facilities to stand.
“Last year we had Ellsberg, who came with 14 mares, plus Ellsberg, which was a nice account. They paid well, those people, but they’ve since dissolved that partnership and moved on.
“To make a horse on your own, you've got our deep pockets and big balls. It’s a daunting prospect.”
“To make a horse on your own, you've got our deep pockets and big balls. It’s a daunting prospect.” - Christoph Bruechert
Every stallion owner in Australia is nodding as they read this. The risks in owning stallions are huge and require more than just having the horse. You need the mares to support the stallion too. It’s an expensive business.
“Little things can be the difference between a horse attracting attention and not. Some of those horses really do deserve an opportunity, and most of them will never get it.”
There are current examples of Champion Stallions coming from low fees. I Am Invincible and Written Tycoon were not Group 1 winners and Written Tycoon had the added disadvantage of being by Iglesia and moving studs several times.
Written Tycoon | Standing at Yulong Stud
“Anybody is welcome to come here and have a look at him or any of the other stallions and our facilities. We are a humble but professional operation with first class facilities.
“This has not been what we’ve chosen to do, but it's been what we've needed to do to keep numbers on farm.
“It can be described as a colourful industry sometimes with colourful characters in it. I'm not one of them. I'm pretty boring. I pay my bills. I like to think that I do the right thing by people and if works out.”
In 2026, Cliff’s Edge will stand for $6600 inc GST.
G1 Caulfield Stakes winner Cape Of Good Hope (Ire) whose oldest crop are rising 2-year-olds and he will stand for $8250 inc GST. Hong Kong winner of seven races Ka Ying Master, a son of Snitzel, also retired in 2023 and stands for $5500 inc GST.
Group 2 winner, Soul Patch, who placed in the G1 Victoria Derby and G1 Australian Guineas has sired 12 winners and stands for $5500 inc GST. The winner Frankel My Dear, who is yet to have a runner, stands for $5500 inc GST.
Unraced De Gualle, a winner producing son of Exceed And Excel, stands for $3300 inc GST.
