Trainer Turned Studmaster

What makes a successful racehorse trainer decide to become a horse breeder?.

Situated in the south west of NSW just north of Albury Wodonga, Jindera Park has become one of the fastest growing thoroughbred studs in the state over the past two years as successful Southern Districts racehorse trainer Brett Cavanough develops his bloodstock dream.

"It all started a few years back when I was in the UK at Newmarket," recalled Brett Cavanough.

"I was over there walking around with Moods (Peter Moody) talking to a few trainers and watching what went on and one of them, Sir Mark Prescott, pulled me aside.

"He asked me what I did and I said training, breaking, pre-training, etc. and he told me the only second tier trainers with any money in the UK were those that had stallions of their own.

"I got to thinking about that when I got home and when the right property came up I bought it and decided to have a go."

Cavanough remembered the old days when most country people around the Riverina had a mare or two of their own to breed and race from and with the rise of BOBS bonuses and better prizemoney on the horizon felt the time was right to breathe life back into country breeding.

"I have between 25 and 30 mares of my own and I thought there was a gap in the market there for the sorts of stallions that can breed those BOBS winners we all like to own," Cavanough said.

"Fast 'n' Famous was a horse we found in New Zealand that looked promising and after some negotiating with Gary Chittick at Waikato Stud, we were able to buy him.

"Not long after that he sired a couple of Group I winners, so that worked out really well."

New additions this year have seen the roster grow to five stallions covering everything from colonial sprinters and classic stamina, right through to the best staying bloodlines on offer in the Southern Hemisphere.

"I didn't exactly plan it this way, it's more of a natural evolution," quipped Cavanough.

"We're used to big numbers of horses, there are usually 100 or so in work and 40 more being broken and pre-trained so having a lot of horses is nothing new.

"We have the infrastructure in place, so what difference is a few more mouths to feed!"

Among the new additions this year is the former Kitchwin Hills based sire Duporth who is riding the crest of a winning wave.

Duporth might not have quite cut the mustard in the commercial hot bed of the Hunter Valley, but for a stud geared to producing affordable BOBS winners, he may have found his perfect niche.

The Group I winning son of Red Ransom (USA) has reeled off a dozen winners since the start of July headed by Flemington stakes-winner Ruettiger.