Ole Kirk X Fly Buy Fly

Group 1 winning trainer Kerry Parker has been surrounded by horses for as long as he can remember. A native of the South Coast of NSW, Kerry’s first exposure to horses came with the trail riding business part owned by his father.

By his early teens, Kerry knew that his future lay with horses and the following years were spent learning the trade as a strapper and track rider under trainers such as Errol Amos at Canterbury, Sid Barker at Nowra and David Balfour in Adelaide. While Kerry absorbed valuable lessons from each of these masters, the seminal point of his career was unquestionably the five years he spent with the high profile and well respected Randwick trainer Les Bridge. During his stint at Sir Dapper Lodge, Kerry rode and tended to a long string of top class thoroughbreds including Drawn, Kensei, Row Of Waves and Just Blooming.

After the best part of a decade working in and around stables, Kerry branched out and secured a trainers licence in 1991, establishing his own stables at Kembla Grange where, to this day, his horses enjoy the peace and serenity of the picturesque provincial course.

Kerry’s first major success came early in his career when he trained the winner of the 1994 edition of the Group 2 AJC St Leger Stakes, Gold Sovereign. That particular galloper would also provide Kerry with his first runner in the Melbourne Cup. Another career highlight came when gutsy stayer Don Raphael scored a black type treble in the spring of 2004, comprising the Tattersals Plate (Listed), Colin Stephen Quality Hcp (G3) and Saab Quality Handicap (G2), before taking his place in The Melbourne Cup field, Kerry’s second starter in the Australia’s iconic race.

Amongst other reputable accolades, Kerry has twice reached the pinnacle of racing: In 2018 he guided Dark Dream from a maiden win at Moruya to Group 1 success (Queensland Derby) in a single preparation, and then three years later he transformed Think It Over from a class 1 tried horse to a multiple Group 1 winner.

Vinery Stud’s star first season sire Ole Kirk has surged in value to an estimated $60 million, marking a 33 per cent increase in just over a year.

The Written Tycoon stallion, who boasts close ties to champion mare Black Caviar and his Vinery roster mate All Too Hard, saw a 1 per cent share sold for $600,000 to Hong Kong-based breeder Eric Yeung through Inglis Digital on Wednesday.

Ole Kirk’s service fee was lifted to $99,000 (inc GST) this season following an outstanding start to his stud career. His first crop has already produced top-class performers including Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner O’ Ole, Breeders’ Plate victor King Kirk and promising colt Legacy Bound. He is also the sire of Listed winner Prestige Forever, a horse raced by Yeung and now trained by Matt Laurie after David Brideoake’s retirement.

A private sale last July valued Ole Kirk at $40 million, highlighting the remarkable rise in his stallion profile in just 14 months.