Fernrigg Farm’s Rae-Louise Kelly is as excited as anyone about the Magic Millions and was happy to chat with us about 2020…
What appeals to you most about the MM sales and race series?
The electric atmosphere, the excitement around the first season sires and the dream of potentially selling next year’s Magic Millions winner. Farms are presenting stronger drafts each year, packed with quality and great bloodlines which generates such a buzz.
It doesn’t matter if it’s 8am or 5pm everybody maintains that same enthusiasm when they come to inspect our yearlings. We have only just started to dip our feet into the racing side but being part of a women’s syndicate is on the agenda. The Global Glamour success story is so inspiring, a fine example of how our industry can bring many people together and that owning even a small percentage of a racehorse can give you such a thrill.
How would you sum up your farm and the service you offer?
A boutique farm providing the highest quality care. We pride ourselves on growing out young horses and developing future athletes. All our yearlings get individual feed and exercise programs tailored to their needs.
We are privileged, as a small farm, to have two highly qualified and experienced stud veterinarians on site 24-7 during the breeding season. Padraig also assesses the conformation of our foals each week and has established a new state of the art hospital facility on site to perform any corrective surgery, a great asset to the farm.
How many mares did you breed with in 2019, who is the best known?
25 of our own which is very exciting. We really enjoy researching pedigrees and matching physicals in the hope of producing future champions. A favourite is Marcia Proba, a half sister to Sweet Idea and Showtime. She has a beautiful filly by Snitzel who I am proud to be presenting at the Magic Millions. We are so impressed with her that we sent the mare back to Snitzel this year. The same applies for Crimson Lady (served by Fastnet Rock) and Metza (Pierro). Each year we try and upgrade our broodmare band and keep improving our stock.
One such mare who we adore is the multiple stakes placed Unequivocal who has produced a stunning I Am Invincible filly. She is a beautiful scopey mare with charming good looks and plenty of quality.
We also added Mella Maria to our band earlier this year. During my time at Widden I cared for her as a weanling and prepared her for sale. She went on to win a Group Two race in South Africa and has produced a beautiful filly by Redoute’s Choice. She was never the most pleasant yearling to have around but she has certainly redeemed herself now, in my eyes anyway.
How would you summarise your draft this year?
The most exciting yet! Over half were born and raised on the farm, carrying the Fernrigg brand. In the past we have had stronger drafts of colts who were primarily pinhooks. This year the fillies hold their own and are all home-bred with the exception
of a beautifully balanced, well developed half-sister to Cosmic Force. A couple of my favourites are the Not A Single Doubt filly from Ziptomylou and the Fastnet Rock filly from Crimson Lady; both precocious types with good bone, deep girths and fantastic hindquarters. They have shown great demeanours from the day they were born and are a credit to the team on the farm.
If you could shop for free at one store, which would you choose?
It would have to be to be Paradise Jewellers, Pacific Fair. Padraig chose my engagement ring from there during the 2018 National Sale, with a little guidance from the jewellery consultant at Highgrove Stud. We returned there a year later to choose our wedding bands. Luckily, we had just spent up on weanlings because there are some stunning pieces of jewellery in there and everyone knows diamonds are a girl’s best friend!
Would you rather be an Eagle or a Labrador?
A Labrador. I am a complete dog lover and most people in the Hunter would be familiar with my wolves who go everywhere with me. My husband probably wishes he was a wolf sometimes! I love food and treats, going for adventures, sleeping on the couch and doing the opposite to what I have been told to do, just like them.
What makes you roll your eyes every time you hear it?
“Is that a pinhook; how much did you pay for it?”
When we established Fernrigg Farm two years ago we had to back ourselves and purchase weanlings to be in a position to consign a draft at the following year’s sale. We have been fortunate to pinhook some successful racehorses like the Group Two placed dual stakes winner Krone and Brazen Beau’s first stakes performer First Dawn.
This year we have a draft of quality fillies who were born and raised at Fernrigg and we have only two purchased at the Magic Millions weanling sale; the Written Tycoon colt from La Llorona (now a resident broodmare) and the Shalaa colt from Not A Happy Camper.
If animals could talk, which animal would be the most annoying?
Definitely the yearlings! It would be like having a barn full of rowdy teenagers all hyped up on lollies. There would be colts whistling across to the fillies, fillies throwing sass at humans and horses alike. Because they want for nothing they would act very spoiled and hurl demands at the yearling team to be groomed again, for more food
or to go back into their play yards.
