First impressions: Kilgravin Lodge

Cover image courtesy of Kilgravin Lodge

Renowned horseman Eion Kemp, alongside wife Megan Kemp, operates Kilgravin Lodge in the picturesque Matamata region of New Zealand.

Kemp brings a hands-on approach to the care and education of the thoroughbreds on his property and holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a diploma in horse business management from Marcus Oldham College in Australia.

“We have been involved in the industry in one form or another for the last 30 years,” Kemp told TTR AusNZ.

“We have been operating Kilgravin Lodge on its current grounds for 21 years, and in the last few years, we have brought our numbers back a little bit as we have tried to locate and secure good riders. Our hand has been forced a bit in that regard, but on average, we work 30 to 40 thoroughbreds daily.”

Kemp educates thoroughbreds across all facets, from yearlings to racehorses to preparing his drafts for the Ready to Run sales.

“I just take a firm but fair approach. I don’t like knocking horses about; you won’t get the best out of them. So, we gently try to get the best out of each horse that comes through Kilgravin Lodge.

“We don’t really change how we do things. We apply the same process if it's a racehorse going to a stable or a horse going to the (New Zealand Bloodstock) Ready to Run (Sale). However, after their first preparation, they have a bit of a spell, and we adjust the program to suit the horse.”

Thunderstruck a quirky character

Kemp has educated some fantastic individuals during his time. Among them was Sangster (NZ) (Savabeel), a three-time Group 1 winner who claimed the VRC Derby in Australia for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, the training duo subsequently moved to Australia to train out of Cranbourne.

“Sangster was quite a tall and lean horse. You wouldn’t have thought he would have raced as a 3-year-old,” Kemp told TTR AusNZ.

“He gave the impression he would need more time as he was always a bit immature.”

Kemp played an integral part in the education of the much-missed I’m Thunderstruck (NZ). The son of Shocking was trained in Australia by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr and won the $10 million Golden Eagle, G1 Toorak H. and G1 Makybe Diva S. before his untimely demise in a freak post-surgery accident following a routine fetlock operation.

“I’m Thunderstruck was a very quirky horse. I remember the first time we hopped on him every time you moved to get off, he would take off around the yard.

“We put a set of blinkers on him early on, and he went ahead in leaps and bounds after that. Right to the end, he would race in a one-eyed blinker.

“The toughness of I’m Thunderstruck really helped him be the competitor he was on the racetrack.

“Although we have had many successful graduates come out of Kilgravin Lodge, we get a lot of pride watching the longevity of the horses on the track.”

Proven sires a safe bet

Kemp runs a business to eliminate all risks and is drawn more to the proven sires.

“When looking for my ready to run horses, I look for a stallion first. I need a horse that will appeal to the Australian and Hong Kong markets, so those proven producers like Exceed And Excel, Capitalist, Deep Field, I like.

Gallery: Some of the proven producers Kilgravin Lodge look out for when purchasing horses to head to the ready to run sale

“It’s the same for the mares. I'd prefer a mare that is proven or by a good broodmare sire. But my main focus is those stallions whose progeny I have worked with, had success with and are easy to trade.”

Kemp highlighted a graduate of Kilgravin Lodge race watchers should keep an eye out for as he expects this galloper to be early.

“The one I think to watch is the Cosmic Force out of Jawhara colt we educated and sold as a yearling. He has since been gelded.

“The impressions out of the stable have been very positive, and I know he will be heading towards some of the early juvenile races in New Zealand.

“He is one I’m really keeping my eye on.”

The now gelding has been named Full Force, a son of Newgate Farm's Cosmic Force and was a NZ$135,000 purchase by Benner Racing at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.

Trained by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard, the gelding is the second foal from the Exceed And Excel mare Jawhara. She hails from the family of the great sire and racehorse Fastnet Rock.

Ready to Run Sale shaping up well

Kemp is gearing up to produce a 24-lot draft at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale and picked out some lots that are shaping up nicely for the sale.

“We’re pleased with our 2023 Ready to Run draft this year. We are going to present 24 2-year-olds.

“There’s a couple of really nice horses there that standout: a Deep Field colt (Lot 367), a Capitalist colt (Lot 333) and a Dundeel gelding (Lot 87).

“We will start speeding them in the next couple of weeks and get more of an idea on the horse. But I feel on paper it’s the best draft we’ve presented, and I feel there is a horse for everybody's budget.”

Lot 367, a colt by Deep Field, is the eighth and final foal from the Keep The Faith mare Centafaith.

The colt is a half-sister to Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt), a Listed winner who placed in the G1 Randwick Guineas, G1 Surround S., G1 Thousand Guineas and the G1 Empire Rose S.

The Capitalist colt, catalogued as Lot 333, is the seventh foal from the Not A Single Doubt mare Arrowette. She won five races and is a half-sister to Jersey Lily (Catbird).

Jersey Lily won the Listed Maybe Mahal S. and the Listed Wiggle Quality H. and placed in the G1 Coolmore Classic.

Gallery: Some of Kilgravin Lodge's horses headed to the NZB Ready to Run Sale, images courtesy of Inglis

Rounding out the list is Lot 87, a gelding by Dundeel (NZ).

Lot 87 is the fourth foal from the Redoute’s Choice mare Kebede. She won four races from 1200 to 2000 metres, including the G2 The Roses and is a full sister to the Group 3 winner Panzer Division.

Kebede is a daughter of Desert Fight (Chi) (Hussonet {USA}), the Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in Chile in 2005/06, winning two Group 1 races.