Welcome to ‘Sunline Lodge’
Proprietor of Sunline Lodge, Stephen McKee is one of New Zealand's foremost trainers, having amassed 1400 winners and over $25million in stake monies during his career.
New Training Partnership
Eddie Chippendale joined forces with Stephen McKee in the 2015/2016 season in a training partnership, the result of Eddie having worked as McKee’s foreman in the previous few years.
Eddie comes from a very experienced and sound background, starting life as a butcher in his home of Rockhampton in Queensland. In 1998, a stint in New Zealand for 2 years where he was 'breaking in' for Bill Borrie and gaining experience in foaling, handling, yearling prep, stallion management and racing, led to him stepping back across the ditch where he worked in Melbourne for prominent trainer Colin Little for two years.
Returning to New Zealand, Eddie then worked for Richfield's for 6 years as Racing Foreman - a highlight of this time was that brilliant and wonderful mare Miss Potential. Eddie subsequently became foreman for Richard Collett Stables 5 1/2 years before then moving on to the McKees.
Early Success For Partnership
The newly formed training partnership can boast their first big success with Xiong Feng, an outstanding Ifraaj 2-year-old and winner of his first 3 starts including the $1m stake race The Karaka Millions and the Premier Wentwood Grange 1100m.
Some great things are obviously evolving from this successful partnership.
Biography
Training in partnership with his father Trevor, also one of NZ’s best trainers, the father and son training partnership spanned 20 years. The partnership won a NZ Premiership and trained 19 Group 1 winners in both NZ and Australia, which include the mare of our time ‘Sunline’.
8 years ago Trevor retired from training and Stephen took the reins.
Training on his own account at Sunline Lodge, Stephen’s strike rate is at least one Group 1 race in every season and he now has a total of 17 Group 1 Wins.
The training establishment Sunline Lodge boasts a private training track that was set up in the 2006/2007 racing season at Ardmore approx 27km south-east of Auckland.
The training facility is situated on 80 acres and is a one stop shop for racehorse training, including three training tracks, fitness walkers and barriers.
Successes
Some outstanding thoroughbred athletes have been in Stephen's hands throughout his career these include:
Sunline - Hall of Famer, 32 Wins, 13 of these Group 1 wins in NZ, Australia and Hong Kong
Mufhasa - 20 wins and 10 of those at Group 1 level.
Other greats to go through the hands of Stephen McKee were:
Interval
Flying Luskin
Moonshine
Boundless
Glorious Days
Knights Tour
Solveig
and undoubtedly the latest star, O’Marilyn.
Contact
238 Alfriston/Ardmore Road, Auckland
Stephen McKee - 027 544 8127
Eddie Chippendale - 021 855 177
E-Mail - stephenmck@xtra.co.nz
