Matings Mix: Ridgmont mares backing Storm Boy to the hilt

Cover image courtesy of Ridgmont

Late last year, the Cunningham family placed their Ridgmont Farm property on the market as part of a strategic restructuring of their Thoroughbred interests. There has been no shrinkage to their investments in the industry, though, and with the countdown to the covering season about to single digits, the Ridgmont broodmare band is preparing for another exciting round of commercial matings.

Another year of strong racing results has vindicated their yearling selection process, the sales results poured in for their stock consigned by Newgate Farm, and director Mitch Cunningham has spent ample time putting together a series of matings aimed at taking the operation to the next level.

Supporting a star’s second season

The Cunningham family colours have enjoyed numerous successes over the last racing season, highlighted by a trio of flash 2-year-olds; G2 Todman Stakes winner Paradoxium (Extreme Choice), G3 Pago Pago Stakes winner Warwoven (Sword Of State), and multiple Group performer Masvingo (Zoustar).

Cunningham has no qualms about throwing his support behind another juvenile star to have carried the silks in Storm Boy, who stands his second season at Coolmore Stud this spring at a fee of $16,500 (inc GST).

The most popular first season sire last spring, the son of Justify (USA) covered a book of 227 mares and has 10 foals reported on the ground so far, out of mares like Group 2-winning juvenile Bring Me The Maid (Sebring) and Group 1 producer Essaouira’s (Exceed And Excel) half-sister Apamurra (USA) (Lonhro).

“While I recognise my bias here, I am a huge believer in Storm Boy,” Cunningham said. “He put together one of the highest-rated juvenile campaigns of recent years and was arguably the run of the race in the Golden Slipper.

“He returned at three with a dominant three-length win in the San Domenico on his way to The Everest. Add to that the fact that he is, in my opinion, the best-looking stallion in the Hunter Valley.

“We will be supporting him heavily this year with Dubenenko, Cafe Rizu, Flattered, Light Up The Room, Glamour Ana, and Renegotiate,” Cunningham said.

A granddaughter of G3 Research Stakes victress Besame Mucho (Encosta De Lago) and from the close family of dual Group 1 winner Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award), Dubenenko (Russian Revolution) picked up two metropolitan wins as a juvenile, as well as a stakes placing. She joined the Ridgmont broodmare band last year after being purchased for $90,000 on Inglis Digital.

Like Flattered (Yes Yes Yes), Glamour Ana (Spirit Of Boom), and Renegotiate (Dundeel {NZ}), she also visited Storm Boy in her maiden season last year.

Three-time city winner and multiple stakes performer Light Up The Room (So You Think {NZ}) is a three-quarter-sister to G3 Epona Stakes winner Mare Of Mt Buller (Dundeel {NZ}). From another branch of the family that has produced Torryburn Stud’s much loved Slots (Casino Prince), she has produced yearlings by the likes of Lonhro, Zoustar, and Too Darn Hot (GB) who have sold for up to $450,000.

Also a three-time winner, Cafe Rizu (Rubick) is a close relation to consistent Listed winners Ndola (Justify {USA}) and Hearcomesthestar (Zoustar). Her first foal, Lady Rizu (Jonker), was the highest priced yearling from the first crop of her sire Jonker when selling to Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $300,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year. She patronised Darley’s Broadsiding in 2025.

A winning half-sister to G3 Kingston Town Stakes winner and Group 1 performer She’s Ideel (Dundeel {NZ}), Glamour Ana was a $32,500 Inglis Digital purchase for the Cunninghams and their bloodstock agent Jim Clarke (FBAA) in 2025. They also bought Group performer Flattered for $85,000 through the platform last year.

A half-sister to R. Listed Inglis 2YO Banner winner Espaaniyah (I Am Invincible) from the family of She’s Extreme (Extreme Choice), Renegotiate retired to the Cunninghams’ broodmare band last year unraced.

Special Stefi books a date with Home Affairs

A long-time flagbearer for the Cunningham family, dual Group 1 winner and Champion Sprinter Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) retired to the breeding barn this year after a glittering career that raked in over $7.3 million in prize money.

A daughter of G1 Bletchingly Stakes winner Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force) from the family of last season’s breakout older horse Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain), she is a half-sister to G3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes winner Hellfest (Fastnet Rock), who was a rare yearling purchase for Godolphin in 2020 - to the tune of $600,000. In a circular moment for the family, Hellfest’s first foal, now 2-year-old Summer Festival (Frankel {GB}), has been given to Bjorn Baker - who steered Stefi Magnetica’s racing career - to train.

Richard and Will Freedman, in partnership with Burger Bloodstock, saw off stiff competition to Mid Summer Music’s final foal, a full brother to Stefi Magnetica, for $400,000 at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from Cressfield’s draft.

It feels only fitting, then, that Stefi Magnetica visits a particularly special stallion to get her off on the right foot. With that in mind, she joins a blue chip book of mares going to Home Affairs.

“We have spent an extraordinary amount of time considering this mating,” Cunningham said. “I was down at Newgate last week, and Stefi has let down beautifully. Physically, she is relatively easy to mate, but given the myriad outcomes one can expect from maiden mares, we felt Home Affairs would give us the best chance of producing a foal with real strength and substance.”

Adding his first 3-year-old stakes winner on the weekend with Natural Fling’s G3 Quezette Stakes demolition, Champion First Season Sire Home Affairs requires little introduction.

“We have been blown away by the start he has made with his 2-year-olds, particularly given that he was an even better horse at three,” Cunningham said. “We will also be sending him another of our better mares, Lempicka, who foaled a lovely Wootton Bassett filly last week.”

A $250,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale for Ridgmont and Clarke last year, Listed Alinghi Stakes victress Lempicka (Rich Enuff) is one of just a handful of mares this year who will deliver the last foals by the late Wootton Bassett (GB). The seven-time winner is out of a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner and world-leading sprinter In Her Time (Time Thief).

This family has also produced Everest record-holder Yes Yes Yes, Listed Ladies Day Cup winner and Group 1 performer Harlem Queen (Brutal {NZ}), and G3 John Hawkes Stakes winner Grand Larceny (Zoustar), who was last seen coming third in the G1 Goodwood Handicap.

Two of the best for Tentyris

Two of the most high profile residents of the Ridgmont broodmare band, Annavisto (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Dirty Thoughts (So You Think {NZ}), are the benefactors of Cunningham investing at the top end of the colts retiring to stud this spring.

“Tentyris has been one of my favourite racehorses of the past decade,” Cunningham said. “His wins in the Coolmore and Lightning were extraordinary, and hard to believe at the time.”

One of a remarkable trio of 3-year-old Group 1 winners for Street Boss (USA) last season, Tentyris was quick to book out at his introductory fee of $88,000 (inc GST), but Cunningham was already a step ahead.

“I had been nagging Lisa Manning at Darley for months about securing a breeding right once he retired, so I was thrilled when the opportunity came,” he said. “We will support him with two of our best mares in Annavisto and Dirty Thoughts.”

An $800,000 Magic Millions Broodmare purchase for the family and Clarke in 2024, Annavisto won the G3 Frances Tressady Stakes twice as well as the Listed Bendigo Guineas, and ran second in the G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes to Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}). From a tough family of trans-Tasman stakes winners, Annavisto produced a Toronado (Ire) filly for her first foal in 2024 and followed her up with an I Am Invincible filly in 2025, before visiting Extreme Choice.

“Annavisto has a stunning Toronado filly we have retained to be trained by Peter Moody, as well as another cracking Vinnie filly who will head to the sales next year,” Cunningham said. “She is also due to foal to Extreme Choice in early September.”

The winner of the G3 Northwood Plume Stakes, Dirty Thoughts is out of a half-sister to multiple Group winner and millionaire Grey Song (Unbridled's Song {USA}) and Group 3 winner Tonz More Fun (More Than Ready {USA}).

The Cunninghams spent $575,000 in partnership with Clarke and Ciaron Maher to secure her on Inglis Digital in 2021. Clarke also signed the cheque alongside Bjorn Baker last January when outlaying $600,000 for her first foal, I Am Dirty (I Am Invincible).

“Dirty Thoughts could not have made a better start at stud, with her first foal, I Am Dirty, winning a 2-year-old stakes race during Brisbane’s winter carnival,” Cunningham said. “The prospect of a Tentyris colt out of her is mouth-watering.”

Listed Bill Carter Stakes victress I Am Dirty is back in work ahead of an exciting spring. Equine Growth Fund, SP Bloodstock, Blueblood Thoroughbreds, and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock acquired her full sister at the Gold Coast in January for $300,000. Dirty Thoughts has a Zoustar colt bound for next year’s sales and is currently in foal to The Autumn Sun.

Seeking more Extreme results

As part owners in one of Extreme Choice’s three Group-winning colts from last season, it is no surprise that the Newgate Farm resident factors amongst Ridgmont’s stallion selections in 2026. The operation has previously sold two offspring by the sire for $400,000 and $300,000.

“Nominations to Extreme Choice are highly competitive, so each year we aim to send him one of our absolute best mares,” Cunningham said. This year, the honour goes to G3 Athasi Stakes victress Honey Girl (GB) (Mayson {GB}).

“Honey Girl is a show-stopping physical,” Cunningham continued. “We fell in love with her at the Chairman’s Sale. She has tremendous depth of girth and plenty of leg. Just quality.”

A multiple stakes performer on top of her Group 3 win, Honey Girl is out of a half-sister to G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup victress Rebelline (Ire) (Robellino {USA}), dam of three stakes winners including Grove Ferry (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}), who travelled down under to win the G3 Colin Stephen Handicap.

The mare’s G1 July Cup-winning Mayson (GB), a son of Invincible Spirit (Ire), produced another July Cup winner himself with Oxted (GB), who also won the G1 King's Stand Stakes. His daughters have produced two juvenile Group winners last year with G2 Richmond Stakes winner Coppull (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) and G3 Sirenia Stakes winner Five Ways (GB) (Kameko {USA}).

Honey Girl was a $400,000 Inglis Chairman’s Sale purchase for Ridgmont and Clarke Bloodstock last year, and was covered by Ole Kirk in her first season at stud.

“She was also incredibly fast, winning or placing in five stakes races for Joseph O’Brien in Ireland before being exported to Australia,” Cunningham said. “She is due to foal to Ole Kirk in a month, and hopefully she comes back around quickly for a cover to what I feel is the best stallion in the country.”

Cunningham will also send two mares to Extreme Choice’s G1 Golden Slipper Stakes-winning son Stay Inside, who equalled his sire’s Australian juvenile stakes winners count last season with his first juveniles.

“There probably hasn’t been a stallion we have supported more heavily over the past few years than Stay Inside, and off the back of the great start he has made, we are doubling down again with Youthfull and Utah Nash,” said Cunningham.

A winner in the Cunningham silks from the family of Pride Of Jenni (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) and G1 Queensland Oaks victress Vouvray (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Utah Nash’s (Spirit Of Boom) first yearling by Too Darn Hot made $320,000 at the Gold Coast this January to the bid of Star Thoroughbreds and Vin Cox Bloodstock. She has an Acrobat filly to follow and was covered by Wild Ruler last year.

A city-winning full sister to D’Argento, Youthfull (So You Think {NZ}) delivered a Pinatubo (Ire) filly in 2025, before visiting Stay Inside.

Repeat customers

Four more Ridgmont mares will head to Darley this spring, all set for stallions the Cunninghams have supported before and are confident to use again. Group-performed Short Shorts (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Gai’s Artist (Snitzel), a juvenile winning full sister to Trapeze Artist, are on the list for Too Darn Hot this season.

“Too Darn Hot needs no introduction,” Cunningham said. “We purchased Short Shorts and Gai’s Artist with Watership Down at Magic Millions last year, and both visited him in their first season at stud. They will return to him again this year, which should set both mares up beautifully moving forward.”

Signing the docket alongside Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd Webber’s Watership Down Stud and McKeever Bloodstock, the Cunninghams purchased Short Shorts for $260,000 and Gai’s Artist for $300,000.

En route to Anamoe will be Egyptian Missile (Smart Missile) and Yankee One (Snitzel).

“We have supported Anamoe heavily over the past few years and are incredibly excited to see his first 2-year-olds hit the track this season,” said Cunningham. “We will continue that support this year with two quality mares in Egyptian Missile and Yankee One.”

A winning daughter of G1 Railway Stakes victress Our Egyptian Raine (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}), Egyptian Missile knocked it out of the park with her first yearling Vatican (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who sold for $1.2 million to Tom Magnier at Inglis Easter last year. She has a So You Think (NZ) 2-year-old filly and a yearling colt by Home Affairs next to come.

A four-time winner in the Cunningham silks, Yankee One is a half-sister to G1 Australian Oaks runner-up Quintessa (Pierro) and Listed-performed juvenile Klocke (Zoustar).

Table: 2026 mating plans for some of the Ridgmont broodmares