Since its foundation in 1976 by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan, Cambridge Stud has become world renowned as a breeding ground of champions. Our hallowed turf, in the heart of the Waikato, has produced winners of the biggest races throughout Australasia and been the home to multiple champion stallions. Today the property combines state-of-the-art facilities with the best of local and international bloodlines as we continue to build on the farm’s proud history of success.
Outstanding sprinter Joliestar produced an explosive performance to demolish her G1 Newmarket Handicap rivals at Flemington and press her claims for a trip further afield later in the year.
Our richly bred daughter of Zoustar was in a league of her own in the 1200 metre short course feature with trainer Chris Waller now likely to turn his shorter-term focus to another top-flight title in Sydney.
“There’s the TJ Smith Stakes (at Randwick) and there’s Royal Ascot later, if she were to go that would be amazing, very special,” Waller’s Racing Manager Charie Duckworth said.
Successful in last season’s G1 Thousand Guineas, Joliestar raced without luck in the spring when unplaced in the G1 The Everest and the Golden Eagle before she was put aside.
The four-year-old again didn’t have any favours again when a resuming third in the G2 Expressway Stakes at Randwick before she showed her true colours in the Newmarket.
She camped in behind the leaders and once into clear air, quickly put the issue beyond doubt for her fifth career victory and boosted her earnings beyond A$3.6 million.
“We had faith that she was the best horse in the race, she’s got an electric turn of foot and at her best she’s amazing,” Duckworth said.
“Massive credit to Chris, the team at home and Cambridge Stud. She’s won a Guineas and now a Newmarket, she’s an amazing athlete.”
Joliestar was beautifully handled by Damian Lane, who was in the fun zone a long way from home.
“She just needed an inch of room to put them away, she travelled so easily and I’ve never been as confident in a Group 1. She made light work of it,” he said.
Bred by Chris Barham, Joliestar was offered by Segenhoe draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where we went to A$950,000 to secure the blueblood.
She is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Jolie Bay, winner of the G2 Roman Consul Stakes and finished runner-up in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, who is a sister to the Australian and international Group 1 winner and stallion Merchant Navy.
All six of Jolie Bay’s progeny to race have been successful and includes stakes performers Emperor and God Of Thunder.
9 Mar
2025
What You Wish For has credited our resident sire Embellish with his fourth individual black type winner.
The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson representative stepped up to 2000 metres for the first time this preparation in the Listed Kaimai Stakes at Matamata and duly prevailed with a determined display.
We bred and sold What You Wish For, who settled in behind the pace on the fence and, once into the clear, the gelding finished determinedly to earn top honours.
He has now been successful four times, and placed in the G2 Waikato Guineas last season, but can be a tricky customer to get a line on at times, according to his co-trainer.
“He’s always promised a lot, but you wouldn’t want to play cards with him,” Walker said.
“With the stock of Embellish you have to be a bit patient, I think he is a really under-rated sire.”
What You Wish For was ridden by Craig Grylls who said the four-year-old travelled strongly and rounded off well in the straight.
“We crossed them and ended up in the trail and he was hard on the steel all the way, it was a great win.”
What You Wish For was a $60,000 purchase by David Ellis out of our 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale draft and the following year the Te Akau chief bought his half-sister by Savabeel, the unraced Wish Come True, for $190,000.
They are out of the Smart Missile mare Grand Wish, who is a half-sister to the G1 Galaxy Handicap winner Griante and the family of the G1 WATC Derby winner Grand Journey.
Grand Wish has a yearling colt by Sword Of State and foaled an Embellish filly last season before returning to the Group 1-winning son of Savabeel.
15 Feb
2025
The first foals of our high-class shuttle stallion Chaldean have been welcomed in the Northern Hemisphere.
His first arrivals were colts produced by dual stakes winner Paris Peacock, a daughter of Muhaarar, and Redressed, a Group performer by Le Havre and out of a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Midday.
We were delighted to partner with global powerhouse Juddmonte to bring Frankel’s multiple Group 1-winning son to Cambridge Stud and he fittingly served top books of mares in his debut 2024 seasons.
At Juddmonte's English base, Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket, Chaldean covered a book of 173 high class mares in his first year at stud, including 99 blacktype performers or producers. Exhibiting his widespread appeal with breeders was the fact he covered more Group winners, stakes winners and blacktype horses than any other first season sire in Britain and Ireland.
Chaldean stood his first season with us at $35,000 + GST and bred a restricted book of 120 mares. Among them were 25 black type winners and 29 dams of black type winners. Over 58% of his book (70 mares) were either black type performers or dams of black type performers. In foal mares include Gr.1 winners Chenille, Faint Perfume, Probabeel and Savaria as well as the dams of Gr.1 winners Asterix, Ceolwulf, El Castello, Melody Belle, Pinarello and Signify.
4 Feb
2025
The Heritage Centre at Cambridge Stud is a must-visit destination for anyone with an interest in this exciting industry.