The decision to hand Ciaron Maher a base at Randwick Racecourse strengthens his already dominant position in Australian horse racing. The facility formerly known as Leilani Lodge had long been associated with the Cummings family, but Maher will now operate from there.
Former Godolphin head trainer James Cummings was in the running to keep the yard in the family before withdrawing his interest after accepting an offer from the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Tulloch Lodge duo Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott made a strong pitch to grab the training centre, but Maher was chosen as the ideal man to be given the keys. Waterhouse’s overly abrasive personality may ultimately have scuppered her yard’s hopes of acquiring the rights to operate from one of the premier training facilities in Australia.
Maher’s Randwick Relocation
The decision boosts Maher’s foothold in New South Wales. His main base is located at Ballarat in Victoria, while he also has a presence in Cranbourne, Fingal and Pakenham. Maher has become a popular choice with Australian sports bettors in recent years and he has cemented that status by leading the national trainers’ standings this season.
He is often the scourge of horse racing betting sites when big meetings are staged and adding a new yard at Randwick will reinforce his grip on Australian racing. Maher could not hide his delight after being chosen to take over a facility which has deep roots within the horse racing community in Australia.
“To be given the opportunity to train out of Royal Randwick is deeply satisfying,” Maher said.
“Leilani Lodge is an incredible piece of racing real estate, and we are committed to upholding the standard and spirit that has defined it for decades.”
“Our team is already hard at work preparing for the next stage of this exciting journey. We are energised by this opportunity to further cement our presence in Sydney’s elite racing landscape and are dedicated to delivering the same world-class standards that have become the hallmark of Ciaron Maher Racing.”
The decision to overlook Waterhouse and Bott will be frustrating to their stable given they are already lagging behind several of the other big operations in Australia. However, the most intriguing element of the process was Cummings’s decision to walk away from Australian racing in favour of a move to Hong Kong.
James Cummings Takes Up Hong Kong Offer
The grandson of Melbourne Cup king Bart Cummings is scheduled to finish as Godolphin’s head trainer after they decided to move away from a private training model. Cummings’ father, Anthony, was forced out of the stables in February after having his trainer’s licence revoked due to significant financial issues.
The Australian Turf Club (ATC) would have sparked controversy if they prevented Cummings from continuing his family’s legacy, but his move to Hong Kong made their decision much easier. Cummings said his decision to move to Hong Kong was not triggered by any knowledge about which way the final decision would go.
“The ATC were very patient, and I respect the position they were in, and the decision hadn’t been made at all – I never got that sense,” Cummings said.
“I wanted to know all the information that was on the table there, and I got to that position.
“We had to weigh up the opportunity cost of training somewhere that my family had been training at for a long time, but that’s not the only thing.
“That’s the stable. That’s bricks and mortar, and a few timber stables that got converted from tie-up stalls many years ago when my grandfather came from Adelaide.
“There’s a team of people we have been working with me who are important, and they are wonderful people. That comes into it, and so do the horses.
“I was forced to weigh all that up and we did that, and we are comfortable and confident in our decision. You can’t ride two horses in one race.”
Cummings’ decision to move to Hong Kong has ultimately paved the way for Maher to consolidate his position as the number one trainer in Australia. Waterhouse and Bott can only ponder what might have been. The former’s infamous spiky attitude clearly didn’t help their cause with the ATC.