Personality Profile – Know Them Better

Sponsored Content - by Tara Madgwick - Friday October 29

The ‘Horse Capital of Australia’, Scone in New South Wales is a long way from the village of Ambergate in Derbyshire, UK.


Kevin Drew owns and manages Ambergate Farm.

This week we find out more about Kevin Drew of Ambergate Farm.

1/Where are you from, and what got you in involved in the thoroughbred industry?

Born in England in Derbyshire, in a little village of Ambergate; hence the name of the stud.

I came into horses from my Pony Club days, with my first steed, Emily, a fell pony. I was always put on the naughty horses. I couldn’t afford equestrian style and ended up at Newmarket.



After successfully completing an NVQ course, I obtained employment with Cheveley Park. With the wrong build to become a jockey, I made for a good stud hand and it was there that I met Peter Keating and went to Arrowfield in 2003. I also worked with Turangga Stud, Glastonbury before going on to purchase the land to start ‘Ambergate Farm’.


2/ What does a workday in the life of Kevin Drew look like?

When does the day start or end? Seems to be a never-ending circuit of feeding, watering, patting and picking up large deposits. Foal watching, foaling, vetting, numerous phone calls with clients and studs, and paperwork trails. Did I mention eating and sleeping? I love the breeding season and roll on yearling prep!

3/ Who is your favourite horse and why?

Have had many opportunities in many facets of both champions and winners. Pivotal, the champion stallion at Cheveley Park, had his first crop of yearlings that were also my first yearling prep. In that prep was a colt Pivotal/Splice, who was my first yearling prep and two year old winner called Feet So Fast.

4/ Tell us about the best day you had at the races or at the sales, and what made it memorable for you?

I was at Galileo’s Epsom Derby win in 2001, also the 2003 Newmarket One Thousand Guineas won by Russian Rhythm.

I bought a Headwater filly out of his first crop and took her to Adelaide where the reserve was $40,000 and no bid was made, so I returned back home to Ambergate with her. At the June Magic Millions sale, she was purchased for $65,000, a great result!

Named Sequana, she has won three races and over $80,000 in prizemoney for Australian Bloodstock.

5/ What is your favourite show on Netflix or TV?

The Good Doctor, classic Inspector Morse and any English comedy

6/ When travel opens again where is the first place you will go?

Being summoned back to the UK in June, to catch up with family and friends.

7/ What is your favourite cuisine and restaurant?

Any restaurant food is grand with fantastic company.

8/ Name two things on your bucket list?

To breed a champion race horse on Ambergate, which wins the Guineas.

With my smooth voice to become a radio announcer and great singer!

9/ What’s the best advice someone has ever given you?

Advice is quick to give, but harder to digest.

10/ Tell us one thing that not many people may know about you?

Like a good book, exterior a little tattered but a worthwhile read.





 

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Better Than Ready's Port Lockroy Triumphs in G1 Railway Stakes
Interstate visitors have a poor winning record in the $1,500,000 Group 1 Swan Draught - Railway Stakes, but Port Lockroy played his part in squaring the ledger when choosing the perfect spot to end a run of bad luck in stakes races.
Barnstorming Win by Headwall in the Warra
The super-consistent Headwall reaped a just reward in the $300,000 Group III Snap Print Solutions Wollongong The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange.
Wings Of Song Makes Stunning Return
A star of the carnivals in Tasmania and South Australia, Wings Of Song made a triumphant return from a 30-week break to capture Saturday’s Rosemont Stud Pendant (1400m) at Cranbourne.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Xtravagant Gelding Nadal Brilliant in Meteorite
Ciaron Maher has a stranglehold on pop-up and slot races and was back in the winner's circle again after the inaugural running of the $1,000,000 The Ladbrokes Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Yes Yes Yes Filly wins $100,000 Crystal Slipper
The $100,000 WATC Magic Millions Crystal Slipper (1100m) at Ascot on Saturday drew a competitive field of 13 and Yes Yes Yes filly Yes Queen produced a brilliant performance to score a dominant debut victory.
Kiwi Bred Comeback King Globe wins Cranbourne Cup
The super-talented Globe put a troubled 14 months behind him with a powerful all-the-way win in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
Sires With Winners - Friday November 22
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.