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"Proud Family Tradition” is the slogan adopted by Sledmere Stud.
"Proud Family Tradition" is the slogan adopted by Sledmere Stud. 2020 signals 100 years of that history and owner Treen Murphy, along with husband Royston, is confident the passion for the industry ingrained in her family is in safe hands.
"Royston and I are very passionate about it obviously, 100 years is a very big milestone and it looks set to continue as our two boys, Jack and Ted, already seem to love it as well," says Murphy.
"Jack is about to turn 11 and he absolutely loves it. He gets up most mornings before school to go do the feed up run with Royston. He is very keen to know all the horses, what paddocks they are in and what they get fed, what the weanlings are and he's got he's got his favourites out there. He is very enthusiastic about it and he obviously has the same passion about it as myself and Roy - and Ted is as keen too and loves the horses."
Having grown up in a family immersed in the bloodstock and racing business, it is not surprising to see Murphy's two sons already showing a great interest and instinct for the industry.
"It looks like the strong family tradition we have built will continue with the two boys and it's so important to us, because at the end of the day it's all about your family you do everything for your family."
Murphy took over the helm at Sledmere in 2013 after the death of her aunt Ann Raymond, a renowned breeder, who owned the farm for more than 35 years. The stud was co-founded by her father Guy Raymond for businessman Hugh Dennison after World War One, before he moved to Victoria to establish St Albans Stud at Geelong.
Ann Raymond managed the stud for her father and over the years they enjoyed plenty of success with horses like Great Britain (Enfield), winner of the VRC Derby and Caulfield Guineas, Red Fury (Enfield), who won the Caulfield Cup in 1948, champion racemare Tranquil Star (Gay Lothario), winner of 20 stakes races between 1941 and 1946 and 1948 Melbourne Cup winner Rimfire (Enfield).
Ann herself bred many high class thoroughbreds, including the 1996 Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 3, 2600m) winner Valance (Mighty Avalanche) and multiple Group 2-winner Gold Brose (Huntingdale), who would go on to sire 14 stakes winners.
Other successful horses bred by Ann Raymond include the stakes-placed gelding Glenrowan (Baryshnikov), and the Guy Walter-trained winning mare Star Alight (Kenmare), who won the Adrian Knox Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) before finishing third in the Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m).
Since taking over the reins at the stud, Sledmere has gone from strength to strength - they enjoyed a hugely successful 2019 - selling 100 per cent of the yearlings they offered at public auction.
"We are trying to maintain the quality," said Murphy. "It's not about the quantity and how many we take to a sale it's about the quality of the stock we take to the market. Last year was just amazing for us we sold 100 per cent - which was amazing and great for us as a farm.
"We offer up to 100 horses a year at a sale, so to get them all sold and placed is a pretty big achievement. We like to head off to a sale and place the horses in the best possible sale that suits them."
Murphy equates a lot of the farm's success to their clients, some who have been supporters of the farm from the beginning.
"We have great clients, including the China Horse Club and we are very honoured to have their broodmare band in our care," explains Murphy. "They are very loyal to us and extremely easy to deal with and they are as passionate about their breeding as we are.
"We have some great clients who have supported us right from the beginning and they have been a huge part of us developing our brand and moving forward and getting bigger."
After the success of last year the Murphys are happy with how Sledmere is developing and she hopes it can continue on an upward trajectory and they will kick off the sale season today when they offer 20 yearlings over the four days of trade of Book 1 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Last year the Hunter Valley-based nursery sold a total of 16 lots at an aggregate $3,105,000 with an average of $194,063 and Murphy is confident that their draft this year has something for everyone.
"We have a nice draft this year with a nice mixture of horses who are by proven stallions and some by first-season sires. We feel we have a very good representation of horses."
