News
Kitchwin Hills On The Road To Sale Success
28th Mar 2007
Graham and Steve Brown’s Hunter Valley based Kitchwin Hills will head to the 2007 William Inglis & Son Australian Easter Yearling Sale with their largest ever Easter yearling draft, a draft that has Stud Manager Michael Malone and the rest of the Kitchwin Hills ‘champing at the bit’ about the prospects of their draft.
A diverse selection of 16 high quality yearlings by commercial stallions Redoute’s Choice, Zabeel, Fusaichi Pegasus (USA), Anabaa (USA) and Red Ransom (USA) are coupled with four yearlings from the first crop of highly anticipated sires Exceed And Excel, Lucky Owners (NZ), Dubai Destination (USA) and Reset.
The fundamental ethos of the farm is that of a family run operation, with all inspections, especially those of late, focused around meal times. Malone feels this is what separates the boutique operation from most. “People that come out to inspect our Easter yearlings have arranged to come around either, breakfast, lunch or even for afternoon drinks. Be it Gai Waterhouse, Mark Pilkington or Grant Pritchard-Gordon, they all love to sit down and have a chat with Ray and Di (Steve and Graham’s parents).”
Coming to Easter this year for only the fourth time, Kitchwin Hills’ draft is highlighted by an imposing Redoute’s Choice colt . Catalogued as Lot 77, the “outstanding colt” is very much a “racehorse in the making, a big strong colt, with a massive walk,” states Malone.
Malone is quietly confident that the colt from a winning three-quarter-sister to Listed winner Danajaya, also a half-sister to Group Three winner Handsome Ransom will be very well received by the many astute judges that will be assembled on hand at Easter.
Flying Spur is currently doing the job with his 2YO’s and in the Slipper, with any luck, could supply the trifecta, which would push the son of Danehill (USA) to the head of the 2YO Sire table. Lot 162, a chestnut filly by the leading sire from the American bred Dragoncello (USA), is a half-sister to the Kitchwin Hills sold stakes winning filly Gallant Tess. The current yearling is owned by David Reid who has experienced recent success through the deeds of his dual Group One winner He’s No Pie Eater, is “a big strong impressive athletic filly,” which Malone has quite an opinion of.
Another of the draft sure to attract plenty of interest is Lot 543, the chestnut half-brother to Champion 2YO Hasna. A dual Group One winner as a 2YO, Hasna was a seven time winner, four at black-type level. The colt is by the Champion Sire of Chile in Hussonet (USA), who to date has only had one crop to race highlighted by leading Golden Slipper prospect, Husson Lightning.
The final offering from the 16 strong draft, Lot 586, is a filly by Red Ransom (USA) from the Rory’s Jester mare Volted In. Offering buyers outstanding residual value, this filly comes from a pedigree continually on the move.
Updated numerous times since the catalogue went to print through the deeds of the now dual Group Two winner Anamato as well as the World’s Top Rated Sprinter Absolute Champion. Redoute’s Choice filly Anamato took out the Group Two VRC Kewney Stakes at her last start and will line up in this Saturday’s Group One STC Arrowfield Stud Stakes over 2000m, while Absolute Champion recorded a victory in the Hong Kong Group One Sha Tin Chairman’s Sprint Prize at his last outing. Adding further interest to the residual value of this filly is the fact that she currently has a Redoute’s Choice filly at foot, and is safely back in foal to the same sire.
The best indication of success within the thoroughbred industry is through the fact that major players throughout the industry are accepting of what you offer as well as the fact that your graduates perform with distinction on the track. Kitchwin Hills can lay claim to experiencing success within both of theses areas.
When one of Australia’s leading breeders Woodlands Stud purchases from your draft, you know you are heading in the right direction. Purchasing two from the Kitchwin Hills draft last year, including an Anabaa (USA) filly from the dual Group One winner Love Dance (NZ), the drafts top lot. Racing as Lobola, the filly finished second on debut to the leading STC Group One Golden Slipper contender Forensics. Incidentally Kitchwin Hills will offer Lobola’s full sister as this year’s sale as Lot 304.
A quick glance through recent successful Kitchwin Hills graduates, sees Sushisan, a graduate of the 2003 Australian Select Weanling Sale lines up this Saturday night in the US$5 million Dubai Sheema Classic on the world’s richest race day - the Dubai World Cup meeting held at the Nad El Sheba race course.
After taking a look through the results of Kitchwin Hills’ 2006 William Inglis & Son Australian Easter Yearling Sale draft, it becomes evident that the drafts average of $315,000, well superior to the overall sale average of $288,498, holds Kitchwin Hills in a great position for their upcoming sale.
