Cover image courtesy of Riversdale Farm
Nick Hodges took over the management of Riversdale Farm from his parents in 2016 and the property is thriving with Group 1 winner You Wahng (So You Think {NZ}), Group 1 winner Nettoyer (Sebring) and Samadoubt (Not A Single Doubt).
They've been joined by last season’s stakes placed juvenile Cyclotron (Hellbent), tough Listed winner Bev’s Nine (Shalaa {Ire}) and Group 3 winner Just Too Fly (Justify {USA}).
The impressive first season sires
Riversdale Farm are planning to use two first season sires Tropicus, who retired to Vinery Stud, and Coolmore’s Delacroix (Ire).
Anne (Shalaa {Ire}) heads to G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Tropicus, a son of Too Darn Hot {GB}). Tropicus opens his account in 2026 at a fee of $27,500 inc GST.
Anne is in foal to All Too Hard which is her first mating. Anne is beautifully bred being a half-sister to dual Group 3 winner Meryl (Epaulette) and stakes placed pair Miss Idyllic (Exceed And Excel) and Chosen Idol (Choisir).
“Tropicus is a very good looking stallion, and a lovely mating. The mare is in foal to All Too Hard which we felt was an outstanding proven stallion for a young mare. We raced Anne and she is part of the family,” Hodges said.
Anne as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Coolmore’s Delacroix, a dual Group 1 winning son of Dubawi (Ire) stands for $38,500 inc GST, and is being sent winning mare Polina (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
“She’s by Darci Brahma who is proving to be an very handy broodmare sire. She throws outstanding types and deserves a quality stallion from a sire line that is on fire in Australia at the moment,” Hodges said. Dubawi is hot property with his sons Too Darn Hot (GB) and Ghaiyyath (Ire) both being commercial success stories thanks to their ability to sire elite racehorses.
Polina (NZ) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Polina was purchased by Riversdale and Linderman Lodge for $40,000 at the 2025 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. She missed to Starlust (GB) in 2025 and has a yearling colt by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr).
A pair of mares for Stay Inside
G1 Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside began his career in fine fashion with four stakes winners from his first crop of juveniles and he’s continuing on in the same vein this season with several early spring 3-year-old winners. The son of Extreme Choice has sired stakes winners to mares by Pierro, I Am Invincible, Nicconi, and Street Boss (USA).
Riversdale Farm will send two mares to him at Newgate Farm where he stands for $66,000 inc GST.
Winning mare Somebodytolove (More Than Ready {USA}) is a half-sister to Listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup winner Jack The Lad (I Am Invincible) and stakes placed Yes Lulu (Yes Yes Yes). Somebodytolove is in foal to Maurice (Jpn) which is her first mating.
Somebodytolove as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“This is a lovely mating for her. The family are quality scopey horses so it should suit on type. I’ve always been a fan of More Than Ready. We owned her dam for a few years and bred Pursuit who sold nicely at Easter and has an exciting prep ahead of him this season.”
Somebodytolove is out of Luluoru (Redoute’s Choice) and her 3-year-old colt Pursuit (Pierro) ran second on debut at his only start at two. Riversdale sold him for $500,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale to Ciaron Maher and David Redvers Bloodstock.
Also headed Stay Inside’s way is Zouriana (Zoustar) who is a proven mare with her first foal Spartus (Capitalist) already a winner and her 3-year-old filly Resolutely (Hellbent) placed at two including a second on debut to a rather good colt in G1 Golden Slipper winner Guest House (Home Affairs).
Zouriana | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“A lovely style of Zoustar mare. She is the dam of the very promising Resolutely who is in for an exciting next prep.”
She has a weanling colt by Hawaii Five Oh and she was covered by him again in 2025.
A scattergun of proven stallions
The remainder of mares that Hodges was keen to talk about are headed to proven stallions with a pair going to Dundeel (NZ) and his son Castelvecchio.
Proven mare Daring (Encosta De Lago) heads to Dundeel. She is the dam of Listed winner Pacific Dragon (Charm Spirit {Ire}) and Group 1-placed Sweltering (Too Darn Hot {GB}) who was purchased by Yulong as a broodmare prospect for $600,000 at the 2025 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
“A very well bred mare owned by an extremely astute breeder. Currently in foal to Alabama Express and has a cracking Harry Angel yearling this year.”
Her current 2-year-old is a colt by Toronado (Ire) who was passed in as a yearling.
Daring | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Riversdale are sending Kimura (Star Witness) to Dundeel’s son Castelvecchio. She had a Dundeel colt on August 13 and has a yearling colt by Maurice (Jpn).
“This is a great mating being a Star Witness mare. Her first foal is a Maurice colt which is a lovely type and will go to an early sale and her second foal is a Dundeel colt foal, a cracking type. We bred and raced her, so she is a special mare to us.”
Kimura won twice and is a half-sister to the aforementioned Anne and group winner Meryl.
One more mare is headed over the Arrowfield Stud being Streetcar Express (Not A Single Doubt) who is booked to Maurice. She is in foal to Pride Of Dubai. Her first three foals are all winners led by G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude victrix Ferivia (Astern) and her unraced 3-year-old filly is named Vettura (Castelvecchio).
“She’s a lovely strong mare by Not A Single Doubt. This is a great mating for her on paper and type.”
Riversdale are sending a mare to young proven stallion Tassort while another heads to Hunter Valley newbie Alabama Express.
Tassort has been popular in his past with 152 yearlings and 148 2-year-olds still to come through for him, and that was a big part of the appeal for Colombina (Lonhro). She won twice in Sydney for Godolphin and was bought by Riversdale and Lindeman Lodge for $60,000 at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Colombina is a half-sister to G2 Reisling Stakes-placed Trifaccia (I Am Invincible).
“The mare has worked well with Brazen Beau in the past and needs a neater type of stallion. We are counting on the strong books of mares that Tassort served in the previous few seasons to give him a boost.”
Colombina | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Her first two foals are both winners including Brighella (Brazen Beau) who has won twice including at Cranbourne on debut. Her 3-year-old gelding Verismo (Blue Point {Ire}) was fourth at his only start last season at two. She has a yearling colt by Native Trail (Ire) but slipped to St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) last season.
Proven Group 1 sire Alabama Express is the talk of the Hunter Valley after arriving at Yulong’s new Segenhoe property. Riversdale are sending the sire of multiple Group 1 winner Treasurethe Moment, a winning mare named Aviemore (Written Tycoon).
“She’s a strong short coupled mare by Written Tycoon. She has a lovely Ozmosis yearling this year.”
Winner of three of her seven starts, Aviemore is a half-sister to Group 2 winner King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible). She is another one that Riversdale and Lindeman Lodge bought at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale of 2025, this time spending $70,000. Sadly her colt by I Am Invincible, who would be two this year, was stillborn, and she has a yearling filly by Ozzmosis.
Aviemore | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“It’s a great opportunity to use Alabama now he is in the Hunter. We feel he is a stallion that can really upgrade his mares so there’s an exciting future ahead.”
| Anne | Shalaa (Ire) | Tropicus | All Too Hard | |||
| Polina (NZ) | Darci Brahma (NZ) | Delacroix (Ire) | Starlust (GB) | St Mark's Basilica (Fr) | Helena Bel (NZ) (Hellbent) | |
| Somebodytolove | More Than Ready (USA) | Stay Inside | Maurice (Jpn) | |||
| Zouriana | Zoustar | Stay Inside | Hawaii Five Oh | Hawaii Five Oh | Resolutely (Hellbent) | |
| Daring | Encosta De Lago | Dundeel (NZ) | Alabama Express | Harry Angel (Ire) | Toronado (Ire) | Nightingale Lass (Farnan) |
| Kimura | Star Witness | Castelvecchio | Dundeel (NZ) | Maurice (Jpn) | ||
| Streetcar Express | Not A Single Doubt | Maurice (Jpn) | Pride Of Dubai | Flying Artie | Rich Enuff | Vettura (Castelvecchio) |
| Colombina | Lonhro | Tassort | St Mark's Basilica (Fr) | Native Trail (GB) | Verismo (Blue Point {Ire}) | |
| Aviemore | Written Tyccon | Alabama Express | Harry Angel (Ire) | Ozzmosis | I Am Invincible |
Table: 2026 mating plans for some of the Riversdale Farm broodmares
