Starting as a humble dairy farm, Darling View Thoroughbreds has become one of Western Australia’s top stud farms, thanks to the ambition of father-son duo Clive and Brent Atwell. Brent Atwell shares that breeding has long been in the family’s blood, with his great-grandfather owning the 1925 Perth Cup winner, Great Applause. However, it was only 14 years ago that Brent and Clive decided to stand the stallion Patronize, taking the farm to a commercial level.
Today, Darling View is home to WA’s most sought-after stallions, including Playing God, whom the Atwells purchased in 2020. “He’s the best stallion we’ve seen in the State… ever,” Brent says of Playing God, who has been a standout in producing foals and stakes winners.
The breeding process is meticulous, combining pedigree and proper bloodline matching to produce top-class athletes. The Atwells also attend breeding stock sales across Australia to secure quality mares that complement their stallions. The farm operates year-round, with a rigorous yearling preparation process that includes training, grooming, and ensuring horses are ready for the sales.
Atwell reflects on their success, saying, “We’ve sold horses from $2000 to $600,000… sometimes you find that diamond in the rough.”