Stud adding European blood to broodmare band

5 min read

Iconic New Zealand farm Cambridge Stud has cast the net wide in their quest for quality additions to their pool of mares.

Brendan Lindsay, who owns the showpiece nursery with wife Jo, and Chief Executive Officer Henry Plumptre are on a buying trip in England and were active at Tattersalls during the opening session of the December Mares’ Sale.

They purchased three lots on Monday and are keen to tick a few more off their shopping list through the week.

“The reason we came to Tattersalls is the same as every other Southern Hemisphere farm who comes up here, to try and integrate European bloodlines to our broodmare band,” Plumptre said.

“We’ve made no secret that we’re upgrading Cambridge Stud’s band, selling off at the bottom end and we think there are great opportunities here.” - Henry Plumptre.

“We’ve made no secret that we’re upgrading Cambridge Stud’s band, selling off at the bottom end and we think there are great opportunities here.

Jo and Brendan Lindsay

“We’re lucky with the exchange rate in the last week, the pound has weakened and the New Zealand dollar is quite strong so we’re in quite a good position.

“Having said that, we seem to have run into quite a strong market.”

Subatomic secured

Cambridge Stud’s opening day purchases were headed by Subatomic (GB) (Makfi {GB}), a 2-year-old winner, purchased for 110,000 guineas from the Tweenhills Stud draft.

Her Group performed dam Miss Universe (IRE) (Warning {GB}) has produced 10 winners, including the G2 La Jolla H. winner Worldly (GB) (Selkirk {USA}).

Subatomic is by Makfi

“We really like this pedigree and Makfi has done well in New Zealand,” Plumptre said. “We are buying in the Northern Hemisphere to try and mix things up pedigree-wise at home.”

They also secured the Galileo (IRE) mare Anchovy (IRE), who is out of Countess Lemonade (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}), for 75,000 guineas from the draft of Baroda and Colbinstown Studs, Ireland.

Group 1 background

The dam is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner and sire Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) (Danehill {USA}) and Anchovy is also closely-related to the G1 English Derby winner Ruler Of The World (IRE) {Galileo {IRE}).

“The plan is for her to come back to Cambridge Stud, she’s probably a pretty good fit for Almanzor,” Plumptre said.

“She’s a beautiful mare, a great walker and great scope and barrel about her with a typical Galileo look about her so we’re pretty excited.

“Almanzor covered his limit of 140 this season and there were some lovely mares in that book.” - Henry Plumptre.

“Almanzor covered his limit of 140 this season and there were some lovely mares in that book. We were happy, it was a tough season in New Zealand for every horse apart from Savabeel.

Almanzor

“Tavistock also got a quality book again with Group winning and producing mares.

“We were happy with the season and Brendan and I both have a view that next year will be better again for us as we continue to develop the farm and possibly look at another stallion as well.”

Early in the Sale, Plumptre believed their timing was immaculate when they bought Mink Fashion (IRE) (Big Bad Bob {IRE}) out of Castledillon Stud’s consignment for just 12,000 guineas.

“She was an absolute bargain and would have made sixty or seventy thousand later in the Sale.” – Henry Plumptre.

“She was the second lot in and there was a bit of a hole in the market,” he said. “She was an absolute bargain and would have made sixty or seventy thousand later in the Sale.”

Mink Fashion is a half-sister to the G3 Henry II S. winner Magic Circle (IRE) (Makfi {GB}), who was unplaced when well-fancied for the G1 Melbourne Cup. Their dam is Minkova (IRE) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).

Lindsay said exciting times lay ahead for Cambridge Stud as they also try to woo Australian breeders back to New Zealand.

Almanzor

“Jo and I are learning a lot about the industry, we hadn’t seen it from this side of the fence and we’re looking forward to seeing the first Almanzors hitting the ground.

“We’re continuing to build our brand and we need to bring in some European bloodlines.” - Brendan Lindsay.

“We’re continuing to build our brand and we need to bring in some European bloodlines. We’re very, very happy with our first season, to be honest it couldn’t have gone any better.

“We’re building a new office, new entertainment area, a new stallion barn and yearling boxes. We’re investing a lot of money in the farm.

“The big challenge for us is to get Australian breeders to send mares over to us, which they used to do and we need to have the right stock to attract them. If the quality is there they will come.”

In other Australasian action, Rosemont Stud bought Bellweather (GB) (Three Valleys {USA}) from Juddmonte Farms for 50,000 guineas. She is a daughter of the multiple Group 1 winner Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert {USA}). Rosemont was also the purchaser of Dumfriesshire (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) out of the same draft for 65,000 guineas.

Widden Stud were also active buyers, taking home the Dansili (GB) mare, Spiced (GB) for 100,000 guineas from the draft of New England Stud. Antony Thompson has been on the lookout for mares to send to Zoustar, who is shuttling to Tweenhills Stud for the 2019 northern hemisphere season.

Widden Stud's Antony Thompson on the lookout for mares with Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and Hannah Wall