One of the top thoroughbred enterprises in New Zealand. Lime Country positions itself as a progressive thoroughbred enterprise and we couldn’t agree more. A favorite among the breeders, trainers and owners alike. The lime country is gearing itself up for the future. Co-owner Jo Griffin spoke to Ten Furlongs and spilled some beans on their 2019’s draft and their process.
Q: How big is Lime Country’s 2019 draft and horses from which proven and first-crop sires will be included in the draft?
A: This year we will be presenting 15 yearlings at Easter. Proven Gr.1 producing sires like Snitzel, So You Think, Not A Single Doubt, Hinchinbrook, Sebring, and Makfi along with up-and-comers like Deep Field, All Too Hard & Dissident. We only have two first season sires represented both of which were top two years old’s themselves in Vancouver and Pride of Dubai.
Q: Which yearlings would you say are the most promising?
A: At this stage, they are all unbeaten and anyone of them could be the champion of their crop!
Q: What have been your Easter Yearling Sale highlights in the past?
A: Selling Lot 1 last year at the inaugural Easter Sale at the new complex. The rostrum was chock full, there were cameras everywhere - it was a beautiful filly which sold for $550k to Angus Gold. Shadwell had purchased the ½ brother off us at Easter the year before for $625k. We hadn’t done business with the breeder before our move to Australia and thus far they are the two highest priced yearlings he has ever sold at auction, so that was a particularly sweet moment for Greg & I for a multitude of reasons.
Q: And what were your 2019 highlights thus far?
A: Our last batch of foals born on the farm back in NZ or sold through our final draft at Karaka is now 3YO’s and have thus far thrown the NZ 1000 Guineas winner in Media Sensation and Beyond The Fort which ran 2nd in the Gr.1 NZ Oaks last weekend. Great results for our clients both the breeders and the buyers/trainers/owners involved. There are a couple of 3YO geldings which have been placing in Gr.2’s from the same batch as well and it’s exciting to follow them all through.
Q: When planning a mating, how important are the black type and race record in your evaluation of a stallion prospect?
A: Extremely important. We aim to work with the owners of our mares on the farm to produce horses which are competing at an elite level. Stallions have to have a turn of foot which can put away the rest of the field when the button is pushed be it stayers, middle distance horses or sprinters. We look for that inherent speed when it is asked for in addition to families with the depth of pedigree. You have more faith in young stallions when the female family behind any stallion keeps throwing up black type performers.
Q: Which stallions do you like as broodmare sires?
A: Redoute’s Choice, Zabeel, Charge Forward is on fire at the moment, Anabaa, Encosta de Lago, Lonhro & Hussonet to name a few.
Q: What would you say are your key factors when you decide to breed highly commercial racehorses?
A: Hot up-and-coming in-demand young sire or proven champion sire over young well performed and/or related mare or over a more mature mare who is a proven stakes producer. You need to have a mare who is herself a great type or that you 4know can leave a quality individual if you are fronting big service fees.
Q: In the past, which horse or yearling was sold at a low price but eventually became a highly successful racehorse?
A: We grew out and broke in two time Hong Kong Horse of The Year in Ambitious Dragon back in NZ he was with us for approximately 14 months in total before he was sold to HK. We loved the colt after breaking him in as a yearling and tried to get a number of agents to purchase him off the owner for around $50,000. I believe his prize winnings ended up around US$7,500,000.
Q: How has technology affected and influenced your business?
A: The impact of Social Media and the new demands and opportunities it presents for business today is something we never anticipated 10 years ago. It is time-consuming but it allows a direct and immediate channel of communication with a huge range of people from owners & clients to prospective staff and the media. As a medium-sized operation, we need to be innovative and authentic with the way we use it to maximize opportunities and minimize what can very expensive from a labor perspective. This year we introduced some new services for clients of yearlings and foals on the farm which are technology based which we have had great feedback on.
Credit: Pallavi Shevade pallavi.shevade@secretariatsworld.com