Whenever there is a sale, there are a few names that are always heard making some great noise. Whenever there is a farm making such great noise, be rest assured that we are there to cover it. One such farm is Kitchwin hills. We have interviewed and written about Mick Malone of the Kitchwin Hills so many times that some may that that we are in love with him. Well, yes that is true, but it's not the only reason that keeps bringing us back to him. Kitchwin Hills year after year proves themselves to be a force to reckon with, regardless of where they are putting up the tent. Touted as one of the most modern and equipped Stud Farms on the globe, Kitchwin does not believe in cutting corners when it comes to the affairs of the business.
A team of world-class experts, each and every one of them come in backed with experience and skill that is second to none. It is this farrago of the talent pool that makes it possible for this team to put up the biggest and most sought after horses in any sale. Mick being the leader has his grip on everything and has managed to steer them in the right direction at a breathtaking speed. We had a brief chat with Mick to check on his plans for the Classic Yearling Sale 2020.
Q: You have a draft of 30 horses this year. Which are your highlight lots and why? (Also, if you could send us your complete list of horses along with commentary for each, we would be happy to publish the same as is.
A: This will be the biggest draft we have put together for the Classic Sale in 2020 and the strength throughout is very good. By a range of stallions that all sold profitably on the Gold Coast, they are good even bunch of horses that should sell well in the Classic market with that emphasise on the type.
One filly who has shown a huge improvement over the past few months to be one of our draft highlights is the I Am Invincible filly from Miss Beauty World Lot 311.
We are also looking forward to unearthing another 12 Sooboog’s at the Classic sale. A horse we stand here at Kitchwin, he is quickly building profile amongst the buyers, with his yearlings averaging $107,000 on the Gold Coast off just a $12,000 service fee. His stock will suit the Classic being really athletic and early types which will be attractive for trainers to purchase and either race early with or trade. The Carmelita Mo/Sooboog colt Lot 41 is probably one of his best as well as the Soldadera/Sooboog Colt Lot 480 both good strong colts who cover the ground so well.
Q: Which was the most expensive & most successful horse you've sold at this sale? (Could be the same or different) Please tell us a bit more about the story.
A: Vow & Declare the Melbourne Cup winner of last year went through the Inglis Classic ring back in 2017, in a twist of fate he was passed in so retained and raced by his owner who went on to win a Melbourne Cup with him! No doubt something his breeder Paul Lanskey didn’t enjoy at the time passing the horse in, but in hindsight has been a stroke of luck!
Q: How did the GC sale go for you? What was your most high-prized sale there?
A: The Gold Coast was a successful sale for us Averaging $157,620 across our 21 lots sold. Our highest priced lot was the half-brother to Yes Yes Yes selling for $700,000 to Lloyd Kennewell. The best of our fillies was a Not A Single Doubt from Precious Sophia selling for $375,000 to Mark Newnham. The top-priced Sooboog was a filly from Against who made $220,000 to Sheik Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum who raced Sooboog himself and remains in the ownership as one of his biggest supporters.
Q: How do you decide which horses should be sent to the Classic Yearling sale?
A: The Classic sale we try to really target with athletic and trainer type horses. This sale now draws from so many different markets its important to cater for those whether they be horses for the Ready to Run operators, trainers and syndicators, or even the bigger buyers on those horses who may have just needed a little more time than Magic’s.
Q: Which sale will you be attending next and what are the highlights of that draft?
A: Following the Classic we have a small draft in Adelaide, and then roll into Easter with another concise draft of 10.
Q: How is your farm coping with the challenges of the bush fires and has anyone been affected?
A: Fortunately, where we are based near Gundy the fires haven’t been a direct threat as they have been in other places. It’s quite amazing the devastation which has been occurring so widespread across the country. These fires on top of one of our worst droughts Australia has seen has certainly put some added pressure on a lot of people. Hopefully, we can continue to have a successful sales season and make good returns for our clients, many of which are affected directly by both catastrophes.