Ciaron Maher Racing leases Bong Bong Farm

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Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will lease the Racing NSW-owned Bong Bong Farm in the state’s Southern Highlands, allowing the stable to increase its horses in training by an extra 80.

The 97.5-hectare property, which has 61 boxes, 1250-metre turf and sand training tracks, an equine swimming pool, hyperbaric chamber and spa, among other facilities, was purchased by the state’s racing regulator for $22.5 million in July 2021.

Bong Bong Farm was developed by Waratah Thoroughbreds’ Paul and Angela Fudge but owing to Paul’s health battles, they were forced to sell the state-of-the-art property.

Racing NSW initially recruited renowned horse breaker and former trainer Greg Bennett to oversee Bong Bong Farm as an intended pre-training facility but no horses were ever sent to the property, leading to a parting of ways, and the state’s peak thoroughbred body has been sounding out potential lessees ever since.

The leasing of Bong Bong Farm by Ciaron Maher Racing, which also runs a vast operation in Victoria, will complement its Sydney stable at Warwick Farm. 

Maher and Eustace intend to have up to 100 horses spelling at the farm while they will also have horses in pre-training and full-training at the farm, which is 90 minutes’ drive from the Sydney CBD. 

“The ability to have your horses in our care for every step of their preparation was a critical factor in landing on this property,” CMR chief executive Ben Sellenger said in an email to clients yesterday.

“This is the most significant property acquisition for the stable since taking over our Ballarat facility, and gives us even more access to the lucrative prize-money on offer in NSW.”

CMR has appointed Matthew and Lyne Henderson to run the property, a couple who have extensive experience in the thoroughbred industry, including spending the past seven years managing Archer Park in Queensland.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys said the investment had been made in infrastructure “to ensure that we have sufficient capacity to house horses in training and ready to race.”

V’landys said in a statement: “This is imperative as it ensures that our field sizes are at their peak, which then maximises revenues. In the meantime, these assets also generate income and capitally appreciate.

“To procure trainers of the calibre of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace takes this investment to another level. The quality of horses and their expertise will only increase the revenues of the NSW racing industry.”

Late last year, Racing NSW added to its land portfolio by purchasing Lynton, near Goulburn, for around $10 million from the estate of the late Alan Cardy who had employed Kurt Goldman as his private trainer.