Bill West
Progressive redevelopment of the famous equine property Macedon Lodge at the foot of Mount Macedon will be good for the area, and the racing industry as well, according to Liam Howley who will soon be ‘returning home’ to where he was an assistant trainer and head trainer for 10 years.
Howley said yesterday he hoped to be relocating Liam Howley Racing in April from the Pipers Creek property that has been his base since branching out as a public trainer in 2019.
The major announcement about Macedon Lodge’s change of direction under new owner, Melbourne businessman Bruce Dixon, was made earlier this month. There has been considerable publicity since about what is planned.
Howley said there had been positive negotiations with Mr Nixon for some considerable time, after he purchased the property about eight months ago from leviathan Melbourne Cup winning owner Lloyd Williams, who had owned it for nearly 20 years.
While earning a reputation for turning out Melbourne Cup winners, Howley said he believed the Macedon Lodge facilities were well suited to training speed horse as well as stayers.
He anticipates having about 50 gallopers based there, and he has also arranged to have 20 boxes at the Kyneton racecourse.
“The vision is to make this (Macedon Lodge) a destination employer … owners will be able to come and see their horses on a regular basis, and it’s expected to have plenty of young people involved,” the trainer said.
Industry professionals Mark Player and Matt Tillett have been appointed to run the business operation at Macedon Lodge for Mr Dixon.
At least one large new barn for horses is expected to be added in the near future, and Howley said while he was the main trainer moving there initially, there would be scope for two or three others with substantial numbers of horses.
“Macedon Lodge could easily accommodate from 150 to 200 horses,” he said.
A couple of interstate or overseas trainers may also look at using the property as a satellite base.
Howley said top New Zealand trainer Andrew Forsman was looking at having a small number of gallopers there from time to time.
Purchasing young horses for clients has been a keynote of Howley’s activities since establishing a base at Pipers Creek (Kyneton).
The new business model at Macedon Lodge is expected to enable Howley to focus more time on the horses under his care.
He is a strong believer on individual attention for individual horses, and said clients would be able to get up close and personal to their horses on a day-to-day basis, in a great environment.
