Australian stud farm owned by Godolphin put up for sale

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the UAE’s Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, bought the vast property as part of a $500m deal to purchase the Ingham poultry family’s Woodlands stud operation in 2008.

Twin Hills Stud Farm in Cootamundra, a town about 380km south-west of Sydney, Australia, is expected to go on the market in September. Courtesy Inglis Rural Property

An Australian stud farm that was bought by Shiekh Mohammed bin Rashid’s global horse breeding operation Darley in 2008 is being put back up for sale.

Twin Hills Stud Farm in Cootamundra, a town about 380km south-west of Sydney, Australia, was part of an AUS$500 million (Dh1.4bn) deal in 2008 which saw Darley buy the Woodlands Stud operation from the Ingham brothers, Bob and John.

It is expected to go on the market in September.

Darley is the global thouroughbred breeding operation owned by Sheikh Mohammed that sees the best horses race in the famous blue silks of Godolphin, the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai’s racing stable.

Sam Triggs, sale manager for Inglis Rural Property Sales Manager, which is handling the sale, said the farm covers about 2,500 “highly fertile” acres with “abundant water and lakes”.

It includes eight houses and cottages along with a five-bedroom Twin Hills Homestead, a Howard Tanner-designed stallion barn, mare complex and yearling barns.

“Twin Hills is built to exacting standards and an exceptional high finish throughout the entire facility,” said Mr Triggs.

“The farm holds an enviable reputation for producing group class racetrack performers. Furthermore, the farm conservatively carries approximately 300 Angus breeding cows and followers in addition to the 200 plus spelling and breeding horses.”

Henry Plumptre, managing director of Godolphin in Australia, told the Australian Financial Review: “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.

“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.”