Cover image courtesy of Inglis
On Wednesday, 24 hours after the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale concluded, Nick Taylor of Riverstone Lodge is still on cloud nine.
After spending a lifetime in the thoroughbred industry, holding various roles throughout his career, including a stint at innovator Henry Field’s Newgate Farm on the nomination and bloodstock team, Taylor took the gamble to branch out on his own and present his first yearling draft under his banner of Riverstone Lodge at Inglis’ Riverside complex.
Nick Taylor | Image courtesy of Inglis
It was a winning debut for Taylor and his team of supporters. Riverstone Lodge, who consigned nine lots, was crowned the leading vendor by average (three or more sold) and median, alongside achieving a top 10 position on the leading vendor by aggregate table.
The Thoroughbred Report caught up with a beaming albeit humble Taylor to learn more about Riverstone Lodge and what the early success meant.
“I just wanted to bring a quality draft to the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Some of our draft had actually made the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and another few were selected for the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. However, I was eager to bring a proper draft of Riverside for Classic and present them well,” Taylor told TTR AusNZ.
“This year is all about branding for Riverstone Lodge. It’s a year to get my name out there and show prospective clients and buyers what the team and I can do and what we’re about.”
“This year is all about branding for Riverstone Lodge. It’s a year to get my name out there and show prospective clients and buyers what the team and I can do and what we’re about.” - Nick Taylor
No better debut
Taylor sold nine yearlings, with only one, Lot 533, a colt by Bivouac, not meeting his reserve. However, it was reported by The Thoroughbred Report that the colt would likely be trained by the Warwick Farm-based horseman Bjorn Baker, who, alongside Jim Clarke of Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) and Avenue Bloodstock, purchased Lot 566, a son of Written Tycoon, for $280,000 from Riverstone Lodge.
The top price achieved by Riverstone Lodge came from Lot 649, a filly by Yarraman Park’s Group 1-producing son of I Am Invincible, Hellbent.
Lot 649 hails from the immediate family of the G1 WS Cox Plate victor and Waikato Stud’s multiple Champion Sire Savabeel. At the same time, the six-time Group 1 winner Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars) makes an appearance on the page.
Lot 649 - Hellbent x Rose Of Savannah (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly was a $150,000 pinhook by Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) from the 2023 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale and was sold on Tuesday to B K Racing and Breeding for $320,000.
Overall, Riverstone Lodge sold eight yearlings for an average of $190,000. Taylor couldn’t have been prouder. However, Taylor eagerly thanked his team and clients, who backed him in his newest endeavour.
“I was at Newgate Farm in the nominations team, and my parents have a farm in New Zealand. Around this time last year, I helped them at Karaka, and then Rothwell Park came up for auction. My dad managed to secure the property, and then I basically made the move.
“I sort of made the leap with no clients and no backing. It was sort of a thing that I just made happen. That’s really the story. I had been in Australia for 13 years, and I’ve always had my eyes on acquiring my own farm; that’s why I made the goal to work in every department through the industry,” Taylor shared.
“I sort of made the leap with no clients and no backing. I had been in Australia for 13 years, and I’ve always had my eyes on acquiring my own farm; that’s why I made the goal to work in every department through the industry.” - Nick Taylor
“I foaled mares, was a yearling manager and then got exposed to the bloodstock world in the nominations department. Working at Newgate in the stallion nominations really opened up that side of the industry. I was learning about bloodstock evaluation and meeting a lot of people.
“That’s how it grew from there, and that’s how I managed to get some clients for Riverstone Lodge. Suman Hedge has been very supportive. He put mares and yearlings on the farm, and Chris Leslie, another good client of Suman’s, has his mares at Riverstone Lodge, and it’s just grown.”
From experiencing the industry and working for large operations such as Newgate and Kia Ora, amongst others, Taylor is aware one person doesn’t make a success. It takes a dedicated team behind you working towards the same goal to celebrate results like Riverstone Lodge achieved at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Some of the Riverstone Lodge team at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale | Image courtesy of Inglis
“You need good people behind you. I certainly have that as far as clients, the best clients.
“After I made the leap, Alex Kemp came into the business, and he’s my partner now. Alex is an accountant, and his firm is in Brisbane; he manages all the financial side of the business and all the stuff that I don’t really want to do.
“Billy Crooks, my assistant manager, has been a friend of mine for about 13 years. He’s worked at Kitchwin Hills for a long time, and I needed someone I could rely on and trust. Somebody I knew would work hard, and Billy has been a big part of what we’re doing and our success.
“The best part of the sales was I had a lot of good friends working for me at the Inglis Classic Sale. We had a lot of fun, but everybody worked very hard for me and presented the horses amazingly. It was a massive, massive help and takes so much pressure off when you know the guys are just getting the job done for you.
“The best part of the sales was I had a lot of good friends working for me at the Inglis Classic Sale. We had a lot of fun, but everybody worked very hard for me and presented the horses amazingly.” - Nick Taylor
“You could see the emotion from the staff when we had a good result in the ring; they were riding everything with me. They were just as excited when a horse made over what I thought. So, having such a team effort and sharing the success was really pleasing.
“I was just so proud.”
Why Classic?
Taylor explained to The Thoroughbred Report why he felt the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale was the perfect place to debut Riverstone Lodge.
“Inglis always gets a lot of people on the ground for the Classic Sale. I’ve always had the feeling it’s one of the busiest sales on the cards, and there’s always a variety of buying benches and niches,” Taylor said.
“I was very confident in the quality of horses we were bringing. A lot of our draft was pinhooks, and we were aggressive in the weanling market. We spent a lot of money and backed ourselves.”
“I was very confident in the quality of horses we were bringing. A lot of our draft was pinhooks, and we were aggressive in the weanling market. We spent a lot of money and backed ourselves.” - Nick Taylor
Taylor’s feelings were vindicated in the ring. However, he was just as pleased by the feedback from his peers and some very respected ones.
“Many people were saying that Riverstone Lodge had the best-presented draft. Multiple trainers said ours was the only draft they had returned for second looks with four or more consigned.
“I had people from Ciaron Maher’s team and Tulloch Lodge pull me aside and say, ‘Nick, just so you know you’ve got the best draft, you should be really proud’.
“So, I sort of felt we would be well-received in the ring, but at the same time, you never know.”
A look towards the future
With the debut of Riverstone Lodge done and dusted, Taylor is looking towards the future and growth of his brand.
“Our property isn’t massive. We only hold about 45 mares, but we’re not massive. Riverstone Lodge is not trying to be a Newgate Farm or Coolmore. We just want to bring high-quality drafts to the market and be transparent, no games. That’s my personality and my reputation, and that’s what the brand stands for.”
“We just want to bring high-quality drafts to the market and be transparent, no games. That’s my personality and my reputation, and that’s what the brand stands for.” - Nick Taylor
Taylor shared that the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale will likely always be a vital auction for Riverstone Lodge as they build the brand. However, some of his clients have yearlings that will be aimed at future Magic Million Gold Coast Yearling Sales, and the farm will be planning on entering that market.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself or get carried away at the moment. I love the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, but some of my clients have horses that will be going to the Magic Millions in January, and for my own brand, I need to be seen on the Gold Coast and get amongst them.
“So, I will definitely be having a Magic Millions draft. But I will be targeting the Inglis Classic Sale just as hard and try to be as strong next year. We will be active in the weanling sales again and will be trying to stick to a similar plan.
Riverstone Lodge
“The plan is to buy on type and out of young mares. Every horse we purchased was out of young, fast mares, either first-season or proven. So, I don’t want to change too much. If those weanlings are on the market, that’s the sort we’ll try and target.”
Young guns
Taylor’s draft included a mix of proven, emerging and freshman sires. Like his mares, Taylor isn’t afraid to back a young stallion. Having worked at Newgate Farm, he was already familiar with the regard Newgate and Cosmic Force’s former trainers, Peter and Paul Snowden, held the colt in. Alongside the freshman, North Pacific.
Riverstone Lodge sold Lot 65, a filly by North Pacific, from the Lucky Owners (NZ) mare Alpha Miss to Brad Widdup Racing for $180,000.
Lot 65 - North Pacific x Alpha Miss (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly was the fifth foal from the Group 2-winning mare, who also foaled a ‘very nice’ filly by the Golden Slipper winner Farnan in October by all reports.
“Lot 65 was actually a client’s horse. They have the mare (Alpha Miss) on the farm, and she’s got a really lovely Farnan filly. It’s probably the best foal the mare has produced so far.
“I can’t claim any glory for Lot 65, but she was a beautiful filly that was received well. She was so strong, and I think many people have been waiting for Alpha Miss to produce a type like her because she was so fast. It was very exciting for the owners, who are both very nice people and great to get a good result for them.”
The Cosmic Force colt was offered as Lot 481 and sold to Kurrinda Bloodstock and Nathan Doyle Racing for $150,000. He was the third foal from the Redente mare Miss Marilyn and was a $55,000 pinhook by Riverstone Lodge and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) from the 2023 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.
Lot 481 - Cosmic Force x Miss Marilyn (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
“I saw a lot of foals by Cosmic Force when I was at Newgate Farm. He is a stallion that produces a very consistent type.
“From selling nominations, I knew how highly Peter and Paul Snowden spoke about Cosmic Force. They felt he should have won the Golden Slipper but unfortunately ran his race a week before in the Pago Pago, but they said he was a machine.
“So, I was pretty confident and eager to get one by the sire. This colt (Lot 481) was just amazing. He was a professional throughout the whole sale.”
