Cover image courtesy of Hunter's Lodge
Ask Cade Hunter what makes a good breaker and he won't talk about picking stars. Instead, he'll tell you the worst thing a horseman can do is stop a talented horse from reaching its ability. That belief sits behind everything at Hunter's Lodge, from its purpose-built facilities to the patient approach that helped launch Group 1 winner Tron Bolt (Toronado {Ire}).
Hunter’s Lodge was founded in 2023 by Hunter who comes from a performance horse background. With the help of Inglis and clients, they put together their first Inglis Ready2Race Sale draft by pinhooking yearlings from around the country. One of those youngsters, Tron Bolt topped the sale at $900,000, giving them the perfect beginning.
But the story was only just starting as the Hermitage-owned colt went to trainer Chris Waller who debuted him in April this year at Kembla Grange. Third that day, he won his next three in succession, including the G1 JJ Atkins Plate which not only took his earnings over $710,000 in four starts but sets him up for a stallion career as a Group 1-winning juvenile.
A background in horsemanship
Cade’s mother Gail (Powell) Hunter created the passion for horses. She was an Australian Showjumping Champion and was selected for the Australian Olympic squad for the Sydney Olympics. Hunter himself competed up to Grand Prix level showjumping but it was the Thoroughbreds who grabbed his attention.
With experience at Godolphin, both in the stallion barn and doing young horse education, and then at Vantage Hill, Hunter always had a goal of working for himself.
Cade Hunter | Image courtesy of Hunter's Lodge
“My family bought the property about 10 years ago and nothing was here. I was off working doing contract breaking at other places, and along the way I started to invest money into building the facilities here so I could start my own operation,” Hunter said.
“My family bought the property about 10 years ago and nothing was here... and along the way I started to invest money into building the facilities here so I could start my own operation.” - Cade Hunter
“Every feature on the farm has its practical purpose and is safe and is designed around the horse with a five-star standard. We want owners and clients to have confidence in sending us horses.
“I have a background with the performance horses, growing up, and competing in show jumping and then transitioning into the racing industry and working in different yards and being exposed to good horsemanship from both sides, performance and racing, it gives me a good perspective in dealing with Thoroughbreds.”
A solid foundation is the key
The farm, Hunter’s Lodge, is located near Singleton at Glendonbrook.
“We’re on 100 acres and have all the different facilities and a variety of ways we can work a horse. The track, the barriers, take them up hills, through the dam, out on the roads and expose them to different environments,” Hunter said.
“Our goal is to give the horses a good foundation.
“Every horse is different. They come as a blank canvas and we work each horse individually to give them the best education, and to be the best version themselves, and so they can cope with what comes next. I definitely don't want to be a place that is known for rushing them. If they need extra time, I’m not afraid to do that.
“I’m big on barrier work and having them confident and relaxed in there. It’s much easier to sharpen a horse up in the barriers than to calm one down. You need to have them confident and relaxed in there rather than frightened and anxious.”
Gallery: Hunter's Lodge training facility, images courtesy of Hunter's Lodge
The property has a 1000-metre track, a grass hill track, a 30-metre bull ring arena, two round yards, and a show jumping arena. With 22 boxes and six day yards, as well as barriers and safe tie up facilities, Hunter’s Lodge has been designed with the horse front of mind.
“It’s about getting the right foundation and setting the horses up. Getting the best possible version of a horse is our main goal.
“It’s about getting the right foundation and setting the horses up. Getting the best possible version of a horse is our main goal.” - Cade Hunter
“And not just for the horse’s sake, but the industry has a lack of staff with horsemanship skills and good horse knowledge, so it’s also a safety issue.
“My job is to make sure we protect the potential of every horse and give the horse every best chance to develop without frightening it or making it anxious through rushing.”
A growing business but with consideration
One thing that Cade Hunter kept returning to in the conversation is patience. For someone who has achieved big things in a short space of time, relatively for the horse industry, there’s a good balance of ambition and patience. Hunter’s Lodge educated “about 100” young horses from the 2024 crop this year.
“It's definitely growing. I’m lucky that I’ve had a lot of support from clients who supported me early days and continue to send horses. A lot of my business has been word of mouth, and through the breeze ups with the traction Tron Bolt has given,” Hunter said.
“I don't want to be known as like a production line facility. I'd never want to overdo it and let the quality slip. I always want to keep it a manageable amount. My goal is to keep investing back into the business, and focusing on adding facilities to the property.
“I want the place to be known as somewhere you can send a horse and the horse gets broken in safely and becomes the best possible version of the horse.
“I want the place (Hunter's Lodge) to be known as somewhere you can send a horse and the horse gets broken in safely and becomes the best possible version of the horse.” - Cade Hunter
“As a horse breaker, our job is less about trying to identify the next star and more about making sure every horse gets the best possible education. You don't want to be the reason that the good horse doesn't reach his potential.
“One thing I’ve always seen is that you can’t make a slow horse fast, but you can certainly turn a fast horse into a bad one through poor horsemanship.”
Tron Bolt creates the perfect headline
Hunter’s Lodge and Liam Ruddy bought Tron Bolt from Gilgai Farm’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft for $250,000.
“We purchased him and broke him in, and he spelled here, pre-trained here and went through our system for the breeze ups, then to go on and top the sale then to back it up on the track as well. It’s rewarding,” Hunter said.
“We purchased him (Tron Bolt) and broke him in, and he spelled here, pre-trained here and went through our system for the breeze ups, then to go on and top the sale then to back it up on the track as well. It’s rewarding.” - Cade Hunter
Tron Bolt | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
“It shows our program and what we emphasise through good horsemanship and management gets the results.”
The pair purchased 12 yearlings in 2026 for the next breeze up sale draft with prices ranging from $20,000 to $200,000.
“I have a soft spot for Exceed And Excel. I really like his horses, and he's got the results to prove it. We have an Exceed And Excel in our breeze up draft, I Spy, who we purchased out of January and Tony Gollan had another one, Ponte Roma, which was a nice colt.”
The Ponte Roma (NZ) (Pins) colt was bought from Blue Gum Farm for $250,000, while Hunter’s Exceed And Excel colt from I Spy (Zoustar) cost $200,000 from Grenville Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
Exceed And Excel x I Spy colt | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Hunter’s colt is the third foal for the unraced mare I Spy who is a half-sister to Listed winners Albumin (Foxwedge) and Holy Empire (Holy Roman Empire {Ire}).
Jacquinot and In The Congo stand clear
When asked about the now-2-year-olds by first season sires who stood out among this year’s cohort of horses that went through Hunter’s Lodge, Hunter picked out Widden Stud’s Jacquinot and Newgate Farm’s In The Congo.
“With Jacquinot, I like the substance of them. They look strong, early and fast,” Hunter said.
“I purchased a Jacquinot colt to breeze up this year from Classic and Sara Ryan bought one for quite cheap and he has plenty of substance and is strong with good balance. Both had good temperaments too.”
Jacquinot | Standing at Widden Stud
Sara Ryan paid $20,000 for the colt from Kaakit Akit (Artie Schiller {USA}) from Forge Thoroughbreds’ Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft. Hunter’s Lodge bought their Jacquinot colt from Widden Stud’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft for $60,000 and he’s the second foal from Group 3-placed Wanalirri (Wandjina).
Jacquinot x Wanalirri colt | Image courtesy of Inglis
“I had a couple of In The Congo’s but there was one who looked like a very progressive horse. Matthew Smith bought him. He's going to be a time horse, but he moved nicely and gave me a good feeling and was nicely balanced. He had a good temperament as well, and was just straightforward, nothing was a fuss to him.”
In The Congo | Standing at Newgate Farm
Middlebrook Valley Lodge offered the In The Congo colt from Vain Elaine (High Chaparral {Ire}) at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where trainer Matthew Smith paid $120,000 for him.
The other horse that Hunter thought TTR readers should keep an eye on was the colt by The Autumn Sun from Little Stevie (Dream Ahead {USA}). Gollan Racing, The Racing League, and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) bought him for $240,000 from Lime Country Thoroughbreds’ Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft.
“There was a nice The Autumn Sun colt. He was pretty straightforward, who I broke in for Tony Gollan. He had a good brain and was nice and balanced and strong. A no fuss horse who moved nicely.”
He’s been named Autumn Rogue, and his full sister Isn’t She Autumn was a winner at two in April this year.
Autumn Rogue as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
