‘We’re all really excited about what’s coming up’
Ridgmont’s Cunningham has plenty to look forward to – both on and off the track
Having won Queensland’s two richest races this past season, the Cunningham family are now raising their sights even higher with Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) and Storm Boy (Justify), who are both set to target some of Australia’s biggest prizes in the spring.
The respective winners of the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) and the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) – worth a combined $6 million in prize-money – Stefi Magnetica and Storm Boy are both enjoying a well-earned break ahead of their spring campaigns which could again see the Cunningham name up in lights on racing’s grandest stage.
Mitch Cunningham, a former airline pilot before he joined forces with his father Gary to establish Cunningham Thoroughbreds, is able to keep a particularly close eye on ‘Stefi’ who is currently spelling at his sprawling 178-hectare property located on the prestigious Segenhoe Road, near Scone.
Cunningham and his wife Stephanie, after whom Stefi Magnetica is named, recently relocated their young family to the Hunter Valley from Brisbane. The move was made partly as a lifestyle choice but predominantly to focus on Ridgmont which, as well as being used as a spelling and pre-training facility, is primarily home to their premium broodmare band.
While the Ridgmont team is busy preparing for the expected arrival of up to 50 foals, Cunningham has occasionally allowed his thoughts to drift to the upcoming campaigns being mapped out for Stefi Magnetica and Storm Boy, the big-money colt in whom the family retained a five per cent share – down from 20 per cent – following his purchase by Coolmore.
“No firm decisions have been made with either horse just yet, but I’m confident the best is yet to come for both of them,” said Cunningham.
“Things didn’t quite go to plan with Storm Boy in the autumn, but his two-year-old CV probably makes him the standout colt of his generation here in Australia and he will be a very attractive breeding proposition when he goes to stud. I think he’ll see out his three-year-old season at least, his main targets in the spring are unknown, but The Everest is firmly in the conversation.
“We’ve also had some casual conversations with Everest slot-holders after Stefi’s win in the Stradbroke, but nothing has been confirmed just yet and we won’t be making any firm decisions until she’s up and running again. Neither All Too Hard nor her dam Mid Summer Music are known for producing early types, so it was a surprise for all of us to see what she has already achieved in her career.
“The most intriguing thing with her is the exponential rate of improvement she has shown, we always thought she wouldn’t be reaching her peak until her four-year-old season and beyond, so if she can continue on the same trajectory then who knows where she will take us. An Everest would certainly be on the cards for her although a 1500-metre race against her own age worth $10 million is hard to pass up, so the Golden Eagle would have to come into consideration.”
The magnitude of what both horses achieved this year has only just sunk in for the Cunningham family who, in partnership with Ridgmont’s trusted bloodstock agent Jim Clarke and trainer Bjorn Baker, purchased Stefi Magnetica for $140,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. With racetrack earnings in excess of $2 million, not to mention her significant residual value as a broodmare prospect, it’s fair to suggest the purchase represents a decent bit of business.
But putting the purely commercial gains aside, it is the priceless memories that the family will cherish most after Stefi Magnetica’s tenacious triumph in ‘The Straddie’ – a race that, like most proud Queenslanders, Cunningham had always dreamed of winning.
The day was made even more special by the presence of his beloved mum Lorilie, who is in remission from cancer. Described as “the heart and soul” of Cunningham Thoroughbreds, the family matriarch joined the celebrations on Racecourse Road which lasted long into the Brisbane night.
“My wife was away on a girls’ weekend visiting wineries so unfortunately she missed the win and the celebrations, but the rest of us were all there and we had an amazing night,” said Cunningham.
“It was great to have Mum there with us, she loves her racing and it was a proud moment for her and all the family, so it was an occasion none of us will forget. The manner of the win made it even more memorable, when Bella Nipotina came at Stefi in the straight I thought we were beaten but she was just so tough.”
Stefi Magnetica is likely to join Ridgmont’s broodmare band once her racing days have come to an end, by which time Cunningham is hoping the progeny of the farm’s recent recruits – including three-time stakes winner Annavisto (Reliable Man) – are making their mark on the racetrack.
Bought for $850,000 at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale – Cunningham concedes the Storm Boy sale helped them to dig a little deeper in the sales ring for her – Annavisto will soon give birth to her first foal by Swettenham Stud’s resident stallion Toronado (High Chaparral), before a date with Widden Stud’s Zoustar (Northern Meteor) beckons in the next breeding season.
Cunningham confesses he is like a kid on Christmas Eve waiting to unwrap his presents, although the sleepless nights might come at some cost with four youngsters aged under ten – of the human, rather than equine variety – he and Stephanie care for alongside their broodmares.
But while life on the farm is about to get rather hectic, with the first foals due in a matter of weeks, Cunningham insists he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s an incredibly busy time on the farm, but we’re all really excited about what’s coming up,” he said.
“The model for the business has changed a little bit over the past 12 months, we’ve tried to scale the numbers back and focus on quality over quantity.
“Our purchase of Annavisto was a reflection of that, we probably had to pay a bit more for her than we expected but sometimes you have to go a bit higher for these types of mares. We’re hoping she will be our flag bearer so we’re really looking forward to her foaling down in September.
“We’ve been purchasing some quality mares and our broodmare band has now got to a point where we can really leverage the investment we’ve made. We’re very hopeful that we’ll take some very desirable yearlings to market next season who will then go on to produce the goods on the racetrack.”
As for his future plans, Cunningham is aiming to develop Ridgmont into one of the Hunter’s premier breeding and spelling operations. Given how stiff the competition is in the region, Cunningham knows it won’t be easy to establish Ridgmont as a dominant force but having founded and subsequently sold a number of successful businesses before committing full time to the racing and breeding game, he has never lacked ambition or drive.
“We’ve had some great success with Cunningham Thoroughbreds but my main focus now is the breeding side of the business, and our aim is for Ridgmont to reach the heights we are expecting it to over the next few years,” he said.
“I love the racing side of it and celebrating a winner takes some beating, especially in a big race, but breeding is definitely my passion and it’s what gets me out of bed early every morning.”