NZ farm Wellfield Lodge for Sale

Media Release - Monday November 20

There will be a changing of the guard at Wellfield Lodge, with the Palmerston North thoroughbred nursery being offered to the market for the first time in two decades.

The Manawatu farm has undergone a change in direction in recent years, moving away from standing stallions, and farm manager Peter Didham ramping up his training operation.

Kirramosa, a Group One-winning daughter of Alamosa, produced plenty of highlights for Wellfield Lodge. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

Farm director Bill Gleeson said the decision has now been made to sell the farm and disperse the majority of its bloodstock.

“Wellfield Lodge was under Peter Didham and myself. We got to a stage in our life where we wanted to downsize a bit and Peter wanted to go training,” Gleeson said.

“We have done a development at the farm, there are sections for sale, and we just want to downsize now.

“When we first bought the farm, we bought four or five different blocks. Over the last four years we have progressively sold down some smaller blocks and that leaves us with the two main blocks, which can be sold as one block.

“We are also going to do a dispersal (of the bloodstock) which will be done over two or three sales on Gavelhouse.

“Peter Gillespie, who is one of our main clients that we own bloodstock with, has had a change of circumstances with his health so we are dispersing a lot of that stock.”

Wellfield Lodge has stood three sires in recent years – Alamosa, Road To Rock and Vespa, all to varying degrees of success.

Alamosa sired three Group One winners in On The Rocks, Stolen Dance and Kirramosa, while Road To Rock is the sire of eight-time Group One winner and former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation, and Vespa is the sire of Group One performer Kelly Renee and Group Three winners Puntura and Carolina Reaper.

Advertisement

“Alamosa and Road To Rock have both passed, and Alamosa was probably our most successful stallion,” Gleeson said.

“Road To Rock had some quite good gallopers but he didn’t enjoy the success that Alamosa did, but he certainly left a phenomenal horse in Beauty Generation.”

Alamosa was a big part of Wellfield Lodge’s major highlights, carrying the farm’s colours to Group One glory, with his homebred daughter Kirramosa doing the same in the Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m).

“Alamosa winning the Toorak (Gr.1, 1600m) after we bought him and syndicated him was a big highlight,” Gleeson said.

“As too was winning the Victoria Oaks with Kirramosa, a daughter of Alamosa, which we bred and raced.

“We did 12 months with Beauty Generation, we broke him in and got him going for Anthony Cummings.

“The other big highlight was producing Planet Rock, who was the filly of the year, and Abeautifulred. We sold Planet Rock and we raced Abeautifulred, and they went on to quinella the (NZ 1000m) Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) at Christchurch.”

While Wellfield Lodge is set to pass hands in the near future, Gleeson said he intends on remaining in thoroughbred racing in a reduced capacity for the foreseeable future.

“Where it all finishes up I am not 100 percent sure, but we intend to still be involved in some way,” he said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
2025 G1 Golden Rose Field and Barrier Draw
Godolphin filly Tempted will take on eight colts in a nine horse Group One Golden Rose at Rosehill on Saturday where she retains favouritism after drawing barrier eight.
China Horse Owners Alliance named new Inglis China Representative
Inglis is thrilled to announce the China Horse Owners Alliance (CHOA) as the company’s new China Representative.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Wootton Bassett Sad Passing
Wootton Bassett, one of the world’s great sires, has sadly passed away today at Coolmore Australia.
Keeneland September Book 1 and 2 - Combined $307million!
Keeneland’s 82nd September Yearling Sale closed Week 1 on Thursday with cumulative sales from the first four sessions of $307,639,000 and an auction record 53 horses bringing $1 million or more. Today 233 horses sold through the ring for a fourth session-record $77,752,000 ­­­­– with five seven-figure horses led by a Gun Runner colt purchased for $1.55 million by M.V. M
Charm Stone Share Highlights September (Late) Online Sale
A share in G1 winner Charm Stone headlines the Inglis Digital September (Late) Online Sale, which is now open for bidding.
Third Trial Winner for Home Affairs – This Time New Zealand
Hot on the heels of siring two trial winners at Randwick on Monday at the official Sydney 2YO trials, Home Affairs produced an impressive trial winner at Te Rapa in New Zealand on Tuesday.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 23
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First trial success for Sword Of State
Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State was represented by an impressive trial winner when State Of Valour coasted to victory in his two-year-old heat over 730m at Te Rapa on Tuesday.
Dozens of Drawcards - NZB Ready to Run
As the NZB Ready to Run Sale goes from strength to strength with its stunning results in the sale ring and on the racetrack, the catalogue for the world’s leading sale of two-year-olds continues to get better and better.