Horse trainer Lloyd Williams relists Macedon Lodge
Legendary horse trainer Lloyd Williams has re-listed his Mount Macedon horse training property, Macedon Lodge, after it closed its doors late last year.
Williams, who was once one of the country’s most prominent thoroughbred owners, has the majority of his horses now domiciled with Ireland’s famous horse training family, the O’Briens.
The 300 acre state-of-the-art facility has been the training ground of three of his six Melbourne Cup winners.
Efficient, Green Moon and Almandin were all trained by Williams at the complex.
There's been a fourth Cup winner trained out of the property. Etherereal, who won the 2001 Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup was trained by Sheila Laxon.
Williams bought the property for $5.1 million with his son Nick in 2005 from businessman Kurt Stern and estimates he has spent more than $30 million on the estate.
It is speculated the property will fetch $20 million plus, which is what was sought when it was listed in 2014.
"Macedon Lodge has been an extremely successful venture into which we have put countless hours and many millions of dollars," Williams said.
"Given the complex has produced in excess of 20 Group 1 winners including the winners of Australia’s greatest races, the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, and Sydney Cup, and been home to champion horses such as Green Moon, Almandin, Fawkner, Zipping, and Efficient, you would have to say that it has been time and money well spent," Williams added.
"Over the last 14 years I have lived at Macedon Lodge and supervised everything but more recently I have found it impossible to devote the time and energy required."
"I am on the verge of 80 (and) that’s the reason why I am selling it,” Mr Williams told The Australian.
Nick Williams said the family’s horse racing operations would continue, but with reduced numbers.
CBRE director of investments Mark Wizel is managing the sale campaign with Barry Bowditch, managing director of Magic Millions Sales Pty Ltd, on behalf of Hudson Conway Racing who own the property.
Wizel said the highly specialized property offered the absolute best in class facility available anywhere in Australia and arguably in the Asia Pacific region.
"This is the quintessential horse training facility located on extremely fertile soil and in environmental conditions which are ideal for thoroughbred racing horses," Wizel said.
"It is a property which has been associated with the most successful horses, trainers and owners in the Australian horse racing industry over the last 30 years.
"As such we expect it will attract the attention of the local, national and international racing worlds as a ready-to-go operation with nothing to spend,’’ Wizel said.
The purpose-built facility which has regularly housed up to 100 horses, has more than 15 kilometres of tracks, a 75-metre horse pool, 75 boxes, 25 grass day yards, 20 spelling paddocks, a water-walker, and a specialised lighting facility for convalescing horses.
The property also has on site accommodation for over 15 staff, office facilities, entertainment areas, and a staff café.
Wizel said there was no doubt that Macedon Lodge was also very well placed to provide purchasers with the potential to operate a number of alternative businesses including convention centres, HR training facilities, and health/wellbeing ventures.
"The property is located in a beautiful environment which has long attracted tourists from Melbourne, regional Victoria, and interstate to Mount Macedon,
"It is also handy to both the Melbourne CBD and Melbourne Airport (30mins), as well as the iconic Hanging Rock, is connected to Melbourne via V/Line train services and is located right on the Calder Freeway,’’ Mr Wizel said.
Macedon Lodge will be offered via an international expressions of interest campaign which will launch at the Magic Millions Yearling Sales on January 8 and close in early March.
