2026 Bell River Thoroughbreds Vendor Profile

Best known for breeding and selling Gr1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner and extraordinarily successful stallion Extreme Choice, Bell River Thoroughbreds is about much more than one horse. Now run by Andrew Ferguson and his sons James and Jock, Bell River Thoroughbreds have been at their property in Dungog since later 2018. Before that the family were at Wellington on a 2000 acre cropping and cattle farm with a five-generation farming history in NSW. “For me, it’s always been about one thing: breeding quality, not quantity. Every horse we raise at the farm is treated like family, and we pour everything we know into ensuring they have the right foundation to become champions. This farm is built on passion, precision, and a deep respect for the land — it’s how we’ve done it for five generations, and how we’ll continue to do it,” said Andrew Ferguson. Previously known as Croom Park, the current Bell River property consists of 175 acres of Williams River frontage and a homestead dating back to 1927. The farm was used as fodder production for years before the Ferguson family developed it into a boutique Thoroughbred property. The Bell River banner is responsible for Extreme Choice, as well as Gr1 winners I Am Excited, Another Prophet, and Ace High. Another Prophet (Brazen Beau-Set To Skelter, by Reset) won the 2024 Gr1 MRC Thousand Guineas and her dam has been a wonderful broodmare for the family, also producing Gr2 winner Prophet’s Thumb and Gr3 winner More Prophets who were both retained to race by Bell River. Of the farm’s current 3YOs, there were three standout juveniles last season. Gin Spirit won the Listed Cinderella Stakes last season, and Farcited placed in the Gr3 Black Opal Stakes. Bell River retained Gr3 Gimcrack Stakes winner Bel Merci to race. “To have two 2YO stakes victories in one season from a foal crop of just 35 truly encapsulates our motto of ‘Small Farm, Big Results,’” Andrew Ferguson noted after Gin Spirit’s victory. Chrysaor, sold by Bell River for $115,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, has been an excellent racehorse for his connections with over $1.2 million in earnings including the Gr2 Callander-Presnell Stakes. Other recent stakes winners off the farm include Faraway Town, Volcanic Rock, Through The Cracks, and Bidii Babe. Bell River Thoroughbreds will present a boutique draft of 11 yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, 4 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, 6 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, and they typically attend the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.

Bell River graduate Extreme Choice is a sire-sensation (pic: Mark Gatt)