Studmaster Steve Hoare and his wife Diane celebrated imminent retirement and the sale of Rivercrest Park with a double on the weekend at Ascot and York.
They bred the winning Ducimus mares Define Beautiful who qualified for the Westspeed Platinum Final on Saturday and the aptly-named Rivercrest Magic who was a topical tip if ever there was one on Sunday.
Define Beautiful (4m Ducimus – Renegade Girl by War Chant) scored a front-running victory in Heat 2 of the Westspeed Platinum Series (1200m) at Ascot for trainer Luke Fernie and managing part-owner Mike Ferguson.
They bought her for just $16,000 at the Magic Millions October Digital Sale and banked $31,000 at the first time of asking with the prospect of a much bigger pay-day in the $100,000 Westspeed Platinum Final at Ascot on December 20.
“I didn’t expect her to be in front but she switched on with the addition of winkers,” Fernie said. “She came to me in fantastic order so I owe Trevor Andrews a nice bottle of wine. She likes to get on with it behind the scenes and we’ve adopted those tactics on raceday, too.”
Define Beautiful was originally sold by Steve Hoare (pictured) through Alwyn Park (as agent) for $70,000 at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions and had earned $148,000 before changing hands last month.
Rivercrest Magic (5m Ducimus – Black Magic Miss by Blackfriars) closed the York Cup card with a contrasting victory albeit just as impressive in the D & A Plumbing Hcp (1500m). She was spotting stablemate Elounda Star (Palentino) the best part of 15 lengths at the half-mile before descending down the outside rail to defeat Norma Stars (Zoustar) by a neck.
“She’s been knocking on the door and deserved that win,” trainer Mack Hall said. “So did her owner Terry Waites who has been a great supported of our stable. She has a wicked turn of foot as long as she’s not bustled early and there’s a few more wins in her.”
Steve and Diane have been based at Rivercrest Park in the south-west since 2009. “It was only on the market for ten days before it was sold to a FIFO couple,” Hoare said on Monday. “It won’t continue as a stud and, from what I’ve heard, there won’t any livestock on the property, either.”
After many years working on other studs around the State, they leased Remlap Stud at Myalup in 2006 and renamed it Rivercrest. Three years later they transferred the name to a 100 acre property they bought at Stratham and since then it has been home to stallions like Kendel Star, Black Tom, Famous Roman, Due Sasso, Hvasstan, God Has Spoken and Ducimus.
God Has Spoken (Blackfriars) has been purchased by Margaret River Dairy Company owner Hayden Russell. The 19 year-old stallion is an older full-brother to Champion WA Sire Playing God and, although not in his league, has been represented by 58 individual winners to date headed by Ghost Who Walks who was a Listed winner of a Beaufine Stakes and Summer Scorcher.
Hoare stood Ducimus (Snitzel) at Rivercrest on behalf of Hong Kong-based Orbis Bloodstock until last year when he was sold to Ridgeport Farm at Waroona where he now stands with Rommel (Commands).
Steve won’t be lost to our industry in retirement at Capel. He’s still taking bookings to Ducimus and has nominated three Ducimus yearlings to the 2026 Perth Magic Millions in February. There are fillies from NZ-bred mares Severine (Pins) and Kathies Choice (Redoute’s Choice) plus a gelding out of Devilish Diva (Starcraft) who is related to Bonjoy (LR Starstruck Classic) and Dendee (LR Sheila Gwynne Classic).
That trio descend directly from LR Burgess Queen Stakes winner Prayerful (Don’t Say Halo) who had been purchased at the 1992 majors and then transferred to WA as a yearling by Sir Ernest Lee-Steere.
Steve Hoare can be contacted on 0409 987 970 for bookings to Ducimus who stands for a $5,500 (inc GST) at Ridgeport Farm.
