Hill’s first roll of the dice in the breeding game

It’s been a big 12 months for young Canterbury junior driver Seth Hill.

A first Group 3 win behind Cath (Sweet Lou) for his father Benny Hill. Opportunities behind quality horses like The Lazarus Effect (Lazarus) for his new boss Bob Butt. And a growing sense that he belongs at that next level.

But while his driving career continues to build, Hill has quietly taken his first step into another part of the industry.

Breeding.

It was not something he had ever really planned.

“I’d never really thought of it that much, but when the opportunity came up, I thought it would be silly not to take it up.”

The opportunity came through the HRNZ Cadet Programme, where Development Coordinator Roddy Butt worked with studs to secure service fees for young participants.

“He pretty much said he must have gone out to a few studs and that and said about giving some free service fees away for their newer stallions. Anyone who could find them a mare could do it.”

Hill secured a service to Lather Up, a horse whose raw speed made him one of the standout performers of his generation in North America.

A 1:46 miler and winner of races like the Dan Patch Stakes and Graduate Final, Lather Up retired with over $1.2 million in earnings and a reputation built on pure speed.

For Hill, the next step was finding a mare.

At the time he was working for Tom Bagrie, and like most young horsemen, he leaned on the people around him.

“I probably just took it on trust and what Tom had told me about the mare. She had a bit of ability but just wasn’t real sound.”

The mare was Wickenheiser (American Ideal), a race winner with a pedigree that runs deeper than it might first appear.

She is a half-sister to Group 1-placed Juice Brogden (Bettor’s Delight), a mare who earned over $100,000, as well as the 1:53 performer Stealth Bomba (Mach Three). She is also a full sister to the 1:54 mare Tilly Brogden.

On paper, it was a mating that made sense.

“He thought that the American Ideal would be a reasonable cross with Lather Up.”

Hill admits he did not know a lot about the stallion at the time, beyond what he had seen from afar.

“I knew in America he wasn’t doing a bad job, but I hadn’t had anything to do with them here. I’ve seen a few now and they’ve been going alright, so that’s always good.”

The mating resulted in a colt, born and raised at Wai Eyre Stud. One Hill is yet to lay eyes on in person.

“I haven’t seen him yet, but they’ve sent me some photos. He actually looks quite nicely typed, so no, it’s good.”

There was a moment of relief early on when the foal had a shaky start.

“He said the foaling wasn’t real, real good, but he came through it, so that was the main thing.”

For now, the focus remains on his driving. But like many young participants in the industry, Hill already has one eye on what the future could look like if the colt makes it to the races.

And it is not just about himself.

“That’s definitely what I was thinking. Break him in, do a prep, and hopefully we like him. Then syndicate him and get some mates in. Ten percent here and there and it’ll go pretty quick.”

“It brings new people into racing as well for a small outlay. You don’t have to pay too much.”

It is a simple idea, but one that speaks directly to where the industry is heading. Lower entry points, shared ownership, and younger people getting a foot in the door.

For Hill, it all traces back to being given the chance in the first place.

“Couldn’t thank Roddy enough for putting the opportunity out there. For young people like us, you can’t go wrong.”

“And Woodlands Stud for offering the opportunity to young people like us, you can’t thank them enough really.”

It might only be one colt at this stage.

But like his driving career, it is a start.

And if the last 12 months are anything to go by, it is unlikely to be the last.