Kevin Hickman
Trish Dunell
Many owners dream of having a horse good enough to line up in a Group One race. Having two, one of which you bred, and then having them quinella the event would qualify as an ultimate fantasy. Add into the mix the fact you are also a shareholder in the stallion which sired the winner and you have a result of Lotto jackpot dimensions.
Prominent owner Kevin Hickman cracked that jackpot at Riccarton on Saturday when Ugo Foscolo (NZ) (Zacinto) and Savile Row (NZ) (Makfi) ran 1-2 in the Sothys 2000 Guineas.
The Valachi Downs principal is no stranger to winning Group One races. "I think we've won about five now," he said. "They are hard to win though!"
"We had a good run with Silent Achiever, then things went a bit quiet and we seem to have been resuscitated lately," he joked.
Speaking of his former New Zealand Derby winner, Hickman said that Silent Achiever - having foaled a Southern Hemisphere time filly to Frankel at Juddmonte Farm - is back in foal to the champion racehorse. Hickman is contemplating a mating with the Aga Khan's Sea The Stars following that as Silent Achiever adapts brilliantly to her new role.
"I have been told they have never seen a mare who was such a good mother," he said. "She is so bright, she works things out."
While it may have been a wee while between celebratory drinks, Hickman is hoping that now he is back in the Group One groove his runners can add to the tally.
"It is good to see the New Zealand Derby at $1 million, all going well Savile Row will have that as his target," he said. "We'll find out with his lead up races if he will get the trip, but he's got three or four Arc winners in his pedigree."
Determining those potential Group One winning nicks is not something Hickman takes lightly when he plans matings.
"It is just doing the best you can do and you begin to recognise what works and what doesn't," he explained. "Come February-March I go off on the boat for some peace and quiet to plan the matings - I enjoy the challenge."
It was a challenge Hickman turned to when he stepped back from managing director at Ryman Healthcare, the company he co-founded in 1984, becoming a non-executive director in 2006.
"It was around then we decided to start Valachi Downs and looked for a location between Matamata and Cambridge, given that was where 90 per cent of the stallions we were going to utilise would be based," he explained.
The property has expanded over the years, "we've gone from one farm to five," he said, adding that the "boutique" tag Valachi Downs has held may be a little misplaced now.
"We hid behind the 'boutique' banner to keep under the radar while we were setting up, while we made our mistakes!"
"Jonathan [Scully, the stud manager] is a real people person, he enjoys talking with people, whereas I can be introduced to someone and immediately forget their name," Hickman said, adding that at times like that the all-encompassing Aussie moniker "mate" comes in handy.
Despite his occasional problem recalling names, he lists the relationships made with people within the industry as one of the many rewards of an involvements in racing and breeding.
"It's relaxing and my passion," he said.
This week that passion will see him involved with the final two days of the New Zealand Cup carnival at Riccarton, wearing not only his owner-breeder hat, but also as a sponsor of Wednesday's Gr.3 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders' Stakes.
Westport-born Hickman is more than happy to support South Island racing. "Someone has to do it! But it works well for us, likewise when Gus [Wigley] approached us about Zacinto," he said. - NZ Racing Desk.
Prominent owner Kevin Hickman cracked that jackpot at Riccarton on Saturday when Ugo Foscolo (NZ) (Zacinto) and Savile Row (NZ) (Makfi) ran 1-2 in the Sothys 2000 Guineas.
The Valachi Downs principal is no stranger to winning Group One races. "I think we've won about five now," he said. "They are hard to win though!"
"We had a good run with Silent Achiever, then things went a bit quiet and we seem to have been resuscitated lately," he joked.
Speaking of his former New Zealand Derby winner, Hickman said that Silent Achiever - having foaled a Southern Hemisphere time filly to Frankel at Juddmonte Farm - is back in foal to the champion racehorse. Hickman is contemplating a mating with the Aga Khan's Sea The Stars following that as Silent Achiever adapts brilliantly to her new role.
"I have been told they have never seen a mare who was such a good mother," he said. "She is so bright, she works things out."
While it may have been a wee while between celebratory drinks, Hickman is hoping that now he is back in the Group One groove his runners can add to the tally.
"It is good to see the New Zealand Derby at $1 million, all going well Savile Row will have that as his target," he said. "We'll find out with his lead up races if he will get the trip, but he's got three or four Arc winners in his pedigree."
Determining those potential Group One winning nicks is not something Hickman takes lightly when he plans matings.
"It is just doing the best you can do and you begin to recognise what works and what doesn't," he explained. "Come February-March I go off on the boat for some peace and quiet to plan the matings - I enjoy the challenge."
It was a challenge Hickman turned to when he stepped back from managing director at Ryman Healthcare, the company he co-founded in 1984, becoming a non-executive director in 2006.
"It was around then we decided to start Valachi Downs and looked for a location between Matamata and Cambridge, given that was where 90 per cent of the stallions we were going to utilise would be based," he explained.
The property has expanded over the years, "we've gone from one farm to five," he said, adding that the "boutique" tag Valachi Downs has held may be a little misplaced now.
"We hid behind the 'boutique' banner to keep under the radar while we were setting up, while we made our mistakes!"
"Jonathan [Scully, the stud manager] is a real people person, he enjoys talking with people, whereas I can be introduced to someone and immediately forget their name," Hickman said, adding that at times like that the all-encompassing Aussie moniker "mate" comes in handy.
Despite his occasional problem recalling names, he lists the relationships made with people within the industry as one of the many rewards of an involvements in racing and breeding.
"It's relaxing and my passion," he said.
This week that passion will see him involved with the final two days of the New Zealand Cup carnival at Riccarton, wearing not only his owner-breeder hat, but also as a sponsor of Wednesday's Gr.3 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders' Stakes.
Westport-born Hickman is more than happy to support South Island racing. "Someone has to do it! But it works well for us, likewise when Gus [Wigley] approached us about Zacinto," he said. - NZ Racing Desk.