Godolphin sells Twin Hills stud
The thoroughbred breeding and horse racing empire Godolphin has sold Twin Hills race horse stud farm near Cootamundra in the NSW Riverina.
It's been bought by former Darley chief operating officer Olly Tait and his wife Amber.
William Inglis agents Jamie Inglis and Sam Triggs have not disclosed a sale price for the stud located 380 kilometres outside of Sydney.
The 1011 hectare property comes with eight houses and cottages along with its five bedroom Twin Hills homestead and a Howard Tanner-designed stallion barn.
Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum sold the stud due to an operational focus shift elsewhere, according to Godolphin managing director Australia Henry Plumptre.
"The Twin Hills Stud Farm has played an important part in Godolphin's success over the years and so the decision to sell has not been taken lightly," said managing director of Godolphin in Australia, Henry Plumptre.
"However, as our operations are increasingly focused on the Hunter Valley, Sydney and Central Victoria, the location of Twin Hills makes it difficult to consolidate our operations around our other significant landholdings.
"Ultimately, this will have no impact on the horses as the time they previously spent at Twin Hills will now be spent at other properties."
Sheik Mohammed acquired the property as part of a $500 million deal to buy the Ingham poultry family's Woodlands racing empire in 2008.
Twin Hills was established by Ferd Calvin before being purchased by media personality Mike Willesee in the early 1980’s.
Willesee developed the farm into Trans Media Park Stud, building world class facilities and standing outstanding stallions such as Snippets and Rubiton.
In 1993, the property became an integral part of Jack and Bob Ingham’s Woodlands Stud.
It was home to a large proportion of the Woodlands mares as well as stallions such as Strategic, Domesday and Derby winner Quest For Fame.
Since then it has played a central role in Godolphin’s Australian racing operations and has been the base for outstanding racehorses such as Appearance, Exosphere, Epaulette and Guelph.
New owners Olly and Amber Tait are set to return to Australia from England and begin the new business in April.
Tait spent many years with Darley in Australia, Japan, the USA and England.
The popular racing family was inducted in to the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2014 in recognition of its history of racing and breeding in the Riverina.
They worked with successful horses such as Baguette, Tie The Knot and Spinning Hill.
“Having grown up close to Twin Hills and been fortunate enough to work and live in the major thoroughbred breeding centres of the world, I know how lucky we are to have this opportunity," Olly said.
"It is situated in an area that has produced countless Champions and Golden Slipper winners, Guineas, Derby and Oaks winners."
"It is a magnificent property with world class facilities on beautiful land.”