From The Paddock

Rain finally comes

After missing out on the recent State-wide rains that have had widespread media coverage, Kitchwin finally received a dose of the good stuff this week with 2 inches of slow and steady, soaking rain falling on Tuesday and continuing through Wednesday. A very timely event which has allowed the commencement of our annual pasture rejuvenation programme. The farming team will be busy planting for the next month now with anticipation of some good follow up rain that has been forecast for May.

Easter progression

Grand finals are upon us now with inspections at Australia’s leading yearling sale having commenced this week at the famous Inglis sales complex at Newmarket. Kitchwin’s progression through the ranks of vendors offering horses at this sale has been rapid to say the least. From the early days back in 2002 when Kitchwin offered 3 yearlings for the first time at the sale, through to last year where we achieved our highest ever average of $309,000 for the 10 yearlings offered.
This year’s record draft of 20 yearlings, although being our largest, still manages to retain the quality now expected by the market of any Kitchwin Hills produce. Many of the leading buyers that have already inspected the draft, position it in the top echelon of the sale.

The Jobs not done yet, but....

Along with the financial rewards for our devoted clientele, a great sale would be gratifying to the whole team at Kitchwin who see the sale as the culmination of years of dedication and hard work. The production of yearlings presented in this outstanding draft began on farm way back in 2007 when they were first conceived. All sorts of diverse inputs over the following year’s impact on how these yearlings are presented. From intense husbandry and vet work to particular fertilizer applications and feed regimes and through many forms of differing administration processes. The team at home working on the coming year(s) creations can sometimes be overlooked when praise is offered on the final draft. The team on ground at the sales will get their share of deserved praise but I do want to say thank you to those who can’t be there, and hearty well done to all! Now lets finish it!!!

Wombat in Wellies

I am a little off balance with the Slipper being run on Easter Saturday. This will also be the third wet Slipper in a row, we could rename this mad scamper the "Wellington Boot" if that race did not already exist, More Than Ready is also shooting for his Slipper hat trick!!!

The Wombat found some form last week but it was all thanks to Lee Freedman with a 2 state treble….. I think we should stick solid with his Poms tomorrow and have some sort of bet including Speed Gifted. My hero No Wine No Song who admittedly has a Sydney Cup to win and won"t be fully tuned up here put in a gutsy run in the Ranvet, both horses have been backed! Theseo was beaten in the BMW last year on a heavy track by Fiumicino and he in turn was beaten in the Metropolitan by Speed Gifted last campaign. So include 1, 2, 4 and 11 in the BMW who were incidentally four of the first five over the line in the Ranvet and Rangi is not running here.
In the Slipper, most of these runners can go in the wet on breeding! There are many lines of Snippets and his sire, the liver chestnut Lunchtime is a hero on the "rain affected" going. More Than Ready, Last Tycoon, and even Barathea are other standouts for wet track bliss. The sires that DO have better stats on wet ground are More Than Ready, Choisir, Lonhro and Charge Forward who is significantly better but from a small sample size. That said I still can"t go past Military Rose she has been exciting and stands out as the winner, General Nediym has 11% winners to runners on wet tracks and only slightly better stats on dry ground. I have to include Gai"s two by More Than Ready and Crystal Lily is the only one to bring decent Melbourne form north. Obviously she appeals being out of a Snippets mare. BUT then we find a Century / Danehill cross in her pedigree - I bet I know who Dane Shadow is backing….. Therefore the selections in the Slipper are 6 from 8, 1, 15 and for fun throw in 5 it was an excellent first start in the Todman…..

I think that the Vinery shapes up as one of the best races of the Carnival in Sydney. It will be interesting if we see some of these fillies take on the colts in the Derby (Prizemoney!) after Run for Naara"s competitive efforts against the colts so far. I think that the first four can be included on pedigree, recent performances and all should be able to run in the wet with the Zabeel / More Than Ready lines. I like the look of Small Minds in the wet, by Canny Lad out of a Yeats mare, however she may be just behind the others in class despite being a last start Gr 1 winner! Once Were Wild is the other interesting runner having won 5 from 6, she has two exceptional 2yos in her pedigree being by Johannesburg out of an Unbridled Song mare. Her only loss was on a dead track but I have a theory around US dirt stallions and their ability to transfer performance to Aussie wet tracks (Unbridled Song / Woodman etc). I will banker Faint Perfume (1) then for the minors 2, 3, 4, 6 and 9……

Happy Easter to all, without doubt the racing will be fine and I hope the holiday is joyous with your families.

Runners of interest

After last weeks 100% strike rate including the trifecta in the last in Sydney our tipster hasn’t yet got over himself in time to provide comments on this weeks runners from the paddock. God know’s if he ever will! The holiday and sales hasn’t helped either.

Back on the farm...

Fencing

Foal Husbandry

Farrier Johnno

TLC

Feed Up

Top Dogs