Cambridge Stud

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Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay will take another major step forward when they sell under the farm’s banner for the first time at the Gold Coast in January. Their debut will be marked by a consignment of 10 quality youngsters, comprising an even mix of colts and fillies, at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

The husband-and-wife team took over the stewardship of the iconic New Zealand Farm in 2018 from Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan, who over four decades had been at the helm of the Australasian thoroughbred powerhouse. The Lindsays have subsequently put their own stamp on the business while maintaining the established standards of previous times.

They have previously enjoyed success at the Gold Coast with yearlings sold through Mike Fleming’s Bhima Thoroughbreds, but in 2022 it will be under the time-honoured Cambridge Stud flag. It is an overdue move and the farm is confident it has the young talent to draw widespread attention from domestic and international buyers.

“It is something we have had in our minds for a little while, but with the travel difficulties of COVID in the last two years it was a non-starter,” said Scott Calder, Head of Sales and Nominations. “We have sold well through Bhima and that has been a successful relationship, but Brendan and Jo have put so much effort and investment into the brand of Cambridge Stud that it makes sense to go and sell under our own banner.”

Investment is a key word and significant building and infrastructure expenditure aside, the broodmare band has also undergone a major upgrading process over the last five years and that is reflected in the farm’s 2023 Gold Coast draft. Eight of the yearlings are out of mares purchased by the Lindsays to bolster their broodmare band and represent a combination
of well-credentialled Australasian and international purchases.

“Two years ago when these yearlings were conceived, we had just the two stallions on the roster and while we supported them heavily, it did give us the scope to breed off the farm and we sent a lot of mares to Australia,” Calder said. “We have got quite a diverse representation in our yearling crop and we have been able to select some top yearlings for Magic Millions. We feel we have a really solid group by stand-out proven stallions and an offering by exciting first-season stallions.”

The selections of yearlings for the Gold Coast has been a collaborative process between principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Chief Executive Officer Henry Plumptre, Farm Managers Marc Devcich and Bevan McCallum, Calder, Sales and Nominations team member Cameron Ring and Yearling Manager Chelsea Mcleod. “We also work in conjunction with Steve Davis, Magic Millions’ New Zealand representative and the final decisions are made by Henry with Brendan and Jo following input from the rest of us,” Calder said.

Cambridge Stud has been particularly buoyed by the outstanding start shuttle stallion Almanzor has made to his career and a timely first Group 1 victory courtesy of his VRC Derby-winning son Manzoice. Among its female consignment to the Gold Coast is his highly regarded daughter out of the winning Zamindar mare City Fair.

“Almanzor has a really good track record at the sale and has had some high-priced horses and one of those was Manzoice,” Calder said. “We were keen to select a nice Almanzor for the draft and this filly is a very good representative of her sire, she is all quality and we believe she will be very popular.”

Russian Revolution’s daughter is out of the Shamardal mare Aotearower, a multiple winner and Group performer. “She is obviously by the leading first-season sire and on pedigree really stacks up and is a lovely, sleek-looking filly,” Calder said.

“We really like Spirit Of Boom and the filly we will offer is a real get up and go type, very strong and the pedigree would suggest she can make her mark as a juvenile.” She is the first foal of the winning Pierro mare River Mist.

Too Darn Hot is represented by a filly from Phenetic, who is by Zamindar and a winner in France with a strong European pedigree. “We’re really fond of the stallion and this youngster has great credentials. We sold her half-sister by Almanzor at the sale last year for A$220,000 and this filly is well-balanced and nicely put together,” Calder said.

The daughter of Written Tycoon is out of the unraced Encosta De Lago mare Pizzazz, who has already showed her ability to leave early runners. “She is a really athletic type and from a domestic branch of the family our stallion Hello Youmzain comes from,” Calder said. “The mare’s first foal (All That Pizzazz) is a multiple two year-old winner and her second is already a two year-old trial winner.”

A son of Castelvecchio and the Fastnet Rock mare Word Games, a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Fiveandahalfstar, is another fine example of a rich pedigree with the looks to match.
“He’s a well-bred colt from a deep and active family and the dam’s first foal is a trial winner who has gone to Hong Kong,” Calder said.

A colt by champion sire Fastnet Rock from the Galileo mare Anchovy, who is out of a half-sister to Group 1 winners Duke Of Marmalade and Ruler Of The World, is a proven mating. “Fastnet Rock is a fantastic stallion and has sired nine Group 1 winners out of Galileo mares,” Calder said. “The pedigree reads so well, lovely bloodlines, and on type the colt is exactly what we hoped for – medium size, powerful and correct so we’re looking forward to showcasing him.”

The Pierata youngster, who is a grandson of Group 1-winning sprinter Egyptian Raine, is yet another expected to attract an abundance of interest. “He’s a striking colt, a lovely dark colour with a strong hindquarter. I think he is a horse that will catch people’s attention,” Calder said.

“The Pierro-Thames Court colt is out of a mare that Brendan and Jo had a lot of success with on the track, she won the Alexandra Stakes-G3. She puts a lot of substance into her foals and this horse is no different. He’s a forward, strong-looking Pierro.”

The draft is rounded out by a son of So You Think from the German-bred Lawman mare Nessun Dorma. “So You Think is going better than ever and German bloodlines are recognised all over the world for their stamina and soundness. This colt will be a staying horse, but he’s an early foal with good substance and looks a top future three year-old prospect,” Calder said.