Wentwood Grange

by Warren Wruck and Renée Geelen

Making their first appearance as a vendor at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Cambridge-based Wentwood Grange brings to the sale three wonderful yearlings. Buyers would be wise indeed to pay close attention to this draft from a high class nursery whose honour roll includes the likes of Kermadec, I Am A Star, Gust of Wind, Sacred Elixir, Signify, Miss Raggedy Ann, Valley Girl and Little Bridge who was the first New Zealand-bred to win at Royal Ascot when winning the 2012 edition of the Gr.1 Kings Stand Stakes. Wentwood Grange is also the vendor of this season’s Gr1 horses Sully, Charles Road and Our Abbadean.

Located just outside Cambridge, the Hawkins family owned Wentwood Grange consists of three properties: Main Farm for broodmares and foals; Top Farm for yearling preparation; and Redoubt Farm for mares and spellers. In mid-2018 Wentwood Grange in conjunction with Tony Rider’s Milan Park paid a record price for a dairy farm when they paid a record price at auction for a property adjoining Redoubt Farm. This property will be divided between the two and represents both buyers’ commitment to growing their business. Hawkins family patriarch Des Hawkins now leaves much of the running of the farm to sons Dean and Sean and it is their vision to expand the business with new clients coming on board and many existing clients increasing their investments.

“We have taken a positive view of the future for New Zealand’s breeding industry and that growth and expansion is reflected in our seeking new markets. This first time draft at Magic Millions is a reflection of that.” Dean said.

“WE HAVE TAKEN A POSITIVE VIEW OF THE FUTURE FOR NEW ZEALAND’S BREEDING INDUSTRY AND THAT GROWTH AND EXPANSION IS REFLECTED IN OUR SEEKING NEW MARKETS. THIS FIRST TIME DRAFT AT MAGIC MILLIONS IS A REFLECTION OF THAT.” DEAN SAID.

Tony Rider is of a similar mind when it comes to the future. Milan Park needed more land and his half of the new purchase will be used to accommodate a mixture between thoroughbreds and cattle breeding.

Of the three yearlings on offer at the Gold Coast two are consigned directly by Wentwood Grange while the other is being sold as agent for Tony Rider (the Savabeel colt).

Bluebloods spoke to Dean and Sean about the draft and their first time at Magic Millions.

Lot 183 - Brown Filly. Pride of Dubai-Storm Fronts. A half-sister to Gr.3 Kenilworth Winter Classic winner Readytogorightnow (by More than Ready), this filly by freshman sire Pride of Dubai has wonderful residual value. Her unraced dam, Storm Front, has left four winners of eighteen races, and with several of her progeny currently running, this pedigree may get more updates before the sale. Storm Front is a half-sister to stakes winner Miss Minden (dam of Gr.1 winner Miss Danehill, and stakes winners Pentastic, and Point Made). To further highlight the residual value on offer, this yearling filly is a member of the famous Joie Denise family of Tuesday Joy, Sunday Joy, More Joyous, etc, the finest in the Australian Stud Book.

Lot 823 - Bay Colt. Savabeel-Misspro O’Reilly (NZ). From the family of Gr.1 WS Cox Plate winner Ocean Park, this Savabeel colt is out of winning O’Reilly mare, Misspro O’Reilly. The combination of Waikato Stud’s two champions sires has been a good one with the likes of Gr.1 winners Costume, Diademe, Savaria and Embellish plus seven other Group and Listed winners. This colt has two winning full-sisters; Chic (four wins from 1400m to 1600m) and Lincoln Melody (two wins in 2018/19). This yearling colt is one for the linebreeding enthusiasts, as his dam is by O’Reilly and descends from the O’Reilly family. Misspro O’Reilly’s second dam is a half-sister to Gr.1 Golden Slipper winner Courtza (dam of O’Reilly). Plenty of other quality horses are in this family including Gr.1 winner Critic, the aforementioned Ocean Park, and recent Australian Guineas winner Grunt, who is similarly inbred to O’Reilly’s family.

Lot 842 - Brown Colt. Darci Brahma (NZ)-Ms Seneca Rock (USA). A Darci Brahma half-brother to stakes winner Minaj (Commands) and a full sibling to group placed Shenandoah, this colt will be highly sought after. His imported dam, Ms Seneca Rock, won three races as a juvenile in America, including a Listed race, and she’s obviously been able to throw her own speediness into her progeny. This is a very strong American family, with Ms Seneca Rock being a full sister to dual stakes winner Ms Classic Seneca, and from the family of Traceys Rock, Roundabout Jones, Rockin’ Kate, Hannah’s Royalrock, Royal Roundabout, and Tiffany Royal.

What can buyers expect from your 2019 MMGC draft? We have waited to debut at the Gold Coast until we thought we could present the right product for the market. The yearlings we have to offer are very nice athletic types with excellent walks and pedigrees to match.

What are the main factors you take into account when planning matings? Our main focus is to produce an athlete, the mating has to match physically, as breeders we take the long term approach with our mares and are always looking to upgrade our families where possible and give our horses the best chance to succeed.

We spend a lot of time finding the right mating for our mares and although we have our own genetic theories, it is only a small part of the bigger puzzle that is involved in creating good horses.

How has technology and IT affected and influenced your business? We have always been proactive in the use of Technology and IT, however in raising good horses nothing beats time and good quality grass.

Technology affects the way we communicate with staff and clients and how we market and promote ourselves.

If you could work on only one project for the next year, what would it be? Definitely working on the new farm. We have been lucky enough to secure some of the best Waikato land in the prime location, the trees are already established and it will be a stunning horse farm when developed.

We hope to take our time and finish it off the right way.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? “Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing just concentrate on your own work” was given to me by every teacher I ever had but I think it works in life too.

We just try to concentrate on our own job of raising and preparing good horses. l

2019 DRAFT

183 Pride of Dubai (AUS) - Storm Fronts (AUS)

823 Savabeel (AUS) - Misspro O’Reilly (NZ)

842 Darci Brahma (NZ) - Ms Seneca Rock (USA)

425 Tirau Road, RD4 Cambridge, 3496 | Dean Hawkins: +64 2178 2352 | Sean Hawkins: +64 27578 2351 | wentwoodgrange@xtra.co.nz