Aquis confirms NSW stallions will stand at Lincoln Farm
Aquis Farm’s NSW stallion roster, headed by first season banner horse Pierata (Pierro), will relocate to Lincoln Farm just weeks after announcing that the operation would vacate Emirates Park and move their bloodstock to Gooree Park Stud.
Divine Prophet (Choisir), Spieth (Thorn Park), Invader (Snitzel), Jukebox (Snitzel), Brave Smash (Tosen Phantom), Bellevue Hill (Pierro), Santos (I Am Invincible) and Group 1-winning sprinter Pierata will all now cover their 2020 books from the Nick Posa-owned Blandford property.
In a letter to clients and equity partners in the Aquis Farm stallions, chief executive Tony “Tubba” Williams confirmed the move to Lincoln Farm.
“The original plan was to relocate the NSW stallions to Gooree Park Stud in Mudgee, however, after consultation with numerous clients and industry participants, we have listened and the right thing for our clients, shareholders and the stallions is to keep the stallions in the Hunter Valley,” Williams wrote.
“You have my assurance that the team at Aquis and myself personally will be doing everything, in what will be a very tough season, to give each of these stallions every opportunity.
“Our general manager (farms) Tony Scott, our NSW operations manager Alex Scott and our stallion manager Ejaz Hussain will all relocate to Lincoln Farm with the stallions.”
The initial decision to shift its roster and broodmare band away from the breeding heartland of the Hunter Valley and to the Central West of the state was necessitated by the fact that Aquis Farm’s three-year lease on the Emirates Park property at Murrurundi expires today.
It led to a number of job losses as a result of the agistment of broodmares at Gooree but it is understood that the vast majority have since found employment.
“It was a commercial decision to move with the (impending) finality of the lease,” Williams told ANZ Bloodstock News last night.
“I am very comfortable with the decision of having our stock at Gooree and other farms as a commercial customer and then standing the stallions just as Aquis Farm Operations and having Aquis Farm managing them.
“Yes, it was probably a bit rushed leading into the season, but we’ve just got to get it done, so once the decision was made – and it was an amicable decision – we’re more than happy to be changing the direction of the business and the commercial aspects of it.”
The agreement for Aquis Farm to operate its NSW stallion division from Lincoln Farm is, at this stage, on a one-year basis.
“Certainly we will be looking at establishing a permanent Aquis base in the future (in the Hunter Valley),” he said.