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| Staff Writer |
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“My goals were simple to try and survive as I was under no illusion how hard it would be.”
Stephen Hillen has established himself as one of the top purchasers of thoroughbreds and for the boy from Derry his success speaks for itself.
The journey has been long and hard but started with the influence of his father bringing him into the world of horses and his passion grew from there.
“I was born in Ireland in a city called Derry and I remained there until I left home at 18.
“My father Charlie was a bookmaker and he took me to the races from when I was about five or six years old.
“I loved to go the paddock and watch the horses parade.
“I started to get riding lessons soon after at Lenamore Stables close to my home.”
Once these lessons in the saddle began Hillen wanted greater involvement with the horses.
“Soon after getting lessons, I spent my Saturdays helping out at Lenamore. I loved being with the animals both riding and caring for them.
“I particularly loved racing and watched on TV whenever it was on.”
Hillen had no family connection to the industry but admits his father was a racing fanatic. With his father being a bookmaker allowed Stephen access to experts and people who could instill knowledge in him.
“My father was friendly with a local man called Hugo Toner who had horses in County Clare with a trainer called Donnie Hassett.
“When I was 12 Hugo arranged for me to go there and I spent the summer holidays there every year until I was 18.
“It was hard work with no day off but it did not seem like work to me.”
Strong Beginnings
Hillen looks back at the time with the Hassett’s as monumental in shaping the path and career he wanted to pursue.
“Donnie, Josephine and their family were very kind to allow me to live with them and to let an inexperienced young lad like me up on their horses.”
Hillen started his career as pupil assistant to multiple Classic winning trainer Barry Hills at the historic Manton Estate. Stephen recalls this experience under Barry Hills as allowing him a front row seat to the industry while allowing him to gain experience and the knowledge that most could only dream of.
“I was very lucky to get a position as pupil assistant to Barry Hills. I think he only employed me because my father was a bookmaker,” Hillen recalls.
While with Hills he would gain valuable insight into the management and training of racehorses over the four years he was there.
“The role involved working under a lovely man called Snowy Outen who was head lad and already nearly 70 by that time.
“I rode two lots then did the medicals and any bandaging etc all of which Snowy taught me.
“I looked after two horses and from time to time I went to represent Mr Hills at the races.
“Manton was a terrific place to work and there was great camaraderie amongst all the staff and I made lifelong friends there.”
After this time he would go on to be assistant trainer to Paul Cole, remaining there for ten years and further adding to the knowledge that Hillen calls upon to this day.
“Whatcombe was a magnificent place to work, very picturesque with tremendous all weather and grass gallops.
“At this time Paul Cole had about 170 horses.
“I had more responsibility as the number one assistant. I helped with entries, looked after booking jockeys, and organised the staff.”
Cole would call upon Hillen to represent him at the sales and it was then that he would begin working at the sales with Paul selecting yearlings and two year olds.
“About a year or two after I was there Mr Cole decided not to use an agent anymore and he asked me to go to Keeneland ahead of him and do a short list of yearlings.
“I had never been to a yearling sale before but it must have gone ok as after that I did all the yearling and breeze up sales for him.
“Mr Cole is a tremendous judge of a yearling.
“I learnt a lot from him and am indebted to him for giving me that opportunity.”
Taking The Road Less Travelled
After a decade of working with Cole and having amassed experience at the sales a passion to branch out on his own in bloodstock was found with him beginning his own career in the industry.
“Having had ten very happy and fulfilling years at Whatcombe I decided that it was time to do something on my own.
“My wife Becky and I thought trying to be an agent may be an easier way to make a living than training.”
With that decision he started up as a bloodstock agent in 2003.
“We moved to Newmarket and our only client was my great friend Mark Wallace who had just started training.
“We rented a yard and we started a breaking operation as another source of income.
“My goals were simple to try and survive as I was under no illusion how hard it would be.”
Now based near Lambourn his success can be seen throughout both Flat and National Hunt Racing. His career and has seen him record great success that started with a son of Stravinsky in Benbaun.
“Benbaun was a flagship horse for myself and Mark Wallace.
“He won his first race off a rating of 54 and ended up rated about 118.”
Benbaun would go on to win eight Group races including The Gr.1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp, a moment that Hillen will never forget.
“The day he won the Abbaye was an unbelievable thrill.
“We probably did not appreciate what a great servant he was at the time. There will never be another like him for me. He is 22 going strong and having a great retirement.”
Another memorable purchase of Hillen Bloodstock was The Grey Gatsby who was bought as a yearling for €24,000 and the grey colt would go on to win the Gr. 1 Prix de Jockey Club and Gr. 1 Irish Champions, winning nearly £3 million in prize money in his career.
“The Grey Gatsby I bought as a yearling in Arqana.
“He was a standout in the ring.
“I had a client for him but he then decided that he did not want him so he went to the breeze ups where I recommended him to Frank Gillespie.
“He was very good as a three year old and it was a special day when he won The French Derby.”
Hillen has also more recently purchased a Melbourne Cup winner in Almandin who also had Group race victories in Germany and the Gr. 1 Tancred Stakes in Australia, two years after his Cup win.
“Lloyd and Nick Williams asked me to try and find a Melbourne Cup horse.
“I like horses who travel well and he fitted the bill.
“He was not cheap at the time but was in the end.
“We had come close to winning The Melbourne Cup with Mount Athos, so it was a dream come true to buy the winner of this historic race.”
Although these two were major names for Hillen he has also purchased many other Stakes winners, as he mentioned a few.
“Haggle a filly by Pivotal won a Group Three in Toulousse.
“She was a very fulfilling purchase as she ran several times at Newmarket where I felt she did not handle the dip.
“She had never run on soft ground although I hoped she would excel on a soft surface and fortunately I was correct.”
She has since gone on to be a dam to Higgle by Sea The Stars who has had two runs for one win.
Another purchase was Shraaoh who is a gelded son of Sea the Stars out of Jumooh and has gone on to have success in Australia trained by Chris Waller.
“He was an inexpensive horse in training purchase and was a real thrill as he won the Gr. 1 Sydney Cup winning nearly 30 times his purchase price.”
Hillen is excited by a 5YO mare by Fastnet Rock who is currently being trained by George Boughey.
“I am very excited about Via Sistina who won the same Group Three as Haggle on her final start last year.
“She was a €5,000 purchase as a yearling and she was huge and very backward as a yearling.”
When Hillen goes to a sale he said that he has certain boxes he likes to tick when looking at potential purchases.
“At the breeze ups I like a horse with a big stride.
“I look for a good backend and nice head in a yearling.
“I like a horse in training to have shown high class form at some stage of his/ her career.
“I like a broodmare prospect to stand out in the ring.”
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Heading To Meydan
At the recent Dubai Breeze Up Sale Hillen Bloodstock purchased horses for Hay Fitrani and these purchases ranked as the first, second, sixth, and ninth highest sales.
Hillen commented on each purchase and what appealed to him from each lot.
A colt by Gun Runner and out of Baby Go Far was purchased from Powerstown Stud for $543,210.
“I was the most excited to get this Gun Runner colt.
“He is a very big horse again with a big stride and he looks like the best young sire we have seen in a long time.”
A colt by Justify out of Say (IRE) purchased from Mocklershill for $518,519 who will be sent to Ralph Beckett.
“I like to buy off Willie Brown (Mockershill) as he has produced many top class horses and when he says he has a good one you have to listen.
“I liked his action and also like the Galileo mare aspect.”
Guns of August is a colt by War Front out of Akatea bought from Powerstown Stud for $320,988. He is the first of the pair that will be sent to Bhupat Seemar.
“The War Front galloped like a good horse and his action reminded me of some of the Stakes horses we have bought from the breeze ups in the past.
“War Front even though he is old now can get you a champion and his Stakes ratio is most impressive.”
The second of the purchases being sent to Seemar is a colt by Mitole out of Warm Breeze bought from Bushypark Stables for $246,914.
‘I liked the progeny of Mitole in America.
“This horse did a fine breeze and looked to have a huge stride and is a big impressive individual.”
He has built up a reputation as being one of the best in the business and his ability to spot potential in young horses is second to none.
A Series Of Good Luck
Looking back at his career to date Hillen admits that although it the journey has been long and proven to be successful it is what dreams are made of.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be fortunate enough to have bought some notable horses.
“Racing is my passion and hobby.
“I have been incredibly lucky firstly in that Barry Hills gave me a start in a prominent position in his yard.
“Secondly Paul Cole sending me to that first sale in Keeneland, otherwise I may have gone a different route.
“Then for Mark Wallace to ask me to help him buy his horses. Kevin Ryan and Mark Wallace are great friends. My career took off after Kevin asked me to help him buy his horses and I am greatly indebted to him.
“After a start like that you can get a job anywhere in the business.”