Photo: Supplied
This week in Dunstan Horse Feeds Meet the Breeder, we caught up with Max Smithies of Monovale Farm. Max and his brother Joe have had plenty of success together since taking over the farm from their late-father Paul and mother Cushla. With a real hands on approach, Max and Joe's latest success story is 4yo Almanzor-gelding, Rise At Dawn who won the Listed Elms Handicap at Flemington.
Tell us the story of Rise At Dawn.
Rise At Dawn is out of a very handy race mare our father bought some years ago. Kay's Awake, who was group 1 placed four times, was a tough and fast mare that we thought would suit Almanzor very well. Both dam and sire put all their qualities into the resulting chestnut colt. He prepped very well and was sold at Melbourne premier sale to the bid of Lindsay Park Bloodstock. He's been expertly trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes with plenty more still to come. He's been a thrill to follow and we look forward to seeing him further his career, possibly in the All Star Mile.
Tell us the story of Monovale Farm.
Monovale Farm was started by our late father Paul Smithies and mother Cushla Smithies. The farm is about 500 acres in Karapiro Cambridge. Now managed by Joe and myself (Max), we are small to medium size breeders. Originally sheep and beef farmers we have a passion for rearing all classes of stock but truly love watching the horses develop into athletes that go on to perform. We are both very hands on and put emphasis on low stocking rates and try to let our horses grow out as naturally as possible.
How many mares do you breed from?
We have a broodmare band of around 25 mares but we are really chasing a certain quality of stock rather than any number. We've been honing our broodmare band for a number of years now and, well we know that this never stops, we are producing a product that we are really proud of.
What else do you have in your bloodstock portfolio? (foals, racehorses, stallion shares etc)
We have a crop of around 15-20 foals every year and have 10-15 horses at various stages in work spread amongst trainers and breakers. We are active in the stallion share market and are involved with a number of stallions in New Zealand.
Do you breed to race or breed to sell? If sell, how do you decide on what to retain and what to sell?
We breed to sell, and although not always easy, we try and retain our best one or two fillies each year.
Do you seek advice on your breeding decisions?
We do all our own matings using all the information so readily available these days. We don't always agree at first but it's always good to have the two perspectives and we feel we get it right in the end.
Best breeding advice you have received?
Black cats breed black kittens/Quality breeds quality and if you're not willing to race it yourself don't breed it.
What do you love about the thoroughbred breeding industry?
Firstly it is the process. Planning the mating, seeing the resulting foal, watching it grow, educating it, selling or racing. Every step is so satisfying and builds anticipation until you finally get to watch it perform on the track.
Secondly, the people in our industry are not only some of the most talented people you could meet but just genuinely good people. We've been fortunate to be surrounded by good people from all facets of the industry from vets to farriers to breakers, fellow breeders, trainers etc. It makes our job easier, that's for sure.
What advice would you give someone entering the industry as a breeder?
Seek advice. Everyone I know in this industry would help in any way they could if asked. We know from experience.
Proudest moment as a breeder?
It was a few years ago now but we have some pretty special memories when Puccini won the Derby and all of our family was there together.
In more recent times for us, in the last year we bred, Queensland Group 2 winner Scarlet Oak, dual-Australian stakes winner Goldman, recently dual Stakes winner Rise at Dawn and plenty of other winners.
Finish this sentence: The best part of being a thoroughbred breeder is
That you can work hard all week and then be reminded every Saturday why you do it. Not many other jobs give you that sort of excitement every weekend.
