Darley Stud to buy Australian Breeding Empire
The Ingham family name is synonymous with horse racing in Australia. It is an empire that was built over forty years in the business, and grew to be one of the leading bloodstock and breeding organizations in Australia. What started out as a dream for the Ingham brothers, Bob and the late Jack Ingham, has become a corner stone of Australian horse racing. And it rocked the public and the racing fraternity when Bob Ingham announced that he was selling his business.
The Ingham empire started off with the purchasing of Woodlands Stud. In later years it added training stables (located in Melbourne and Sydney), another stud farm and pre-training stables. As the most successful breeder and owner in the history of racing in Australia, Ingham can boast five thousand wins under his racing colors, of which eighty three wins were in Group One racing. Even though he might be bidding farewell to his bloodstock and breeding business, Ingham will be retaining his colors and still participate in racing.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and owner of Darley Stud, made the Australian businessman an offer that few could refuse, which sources have confirmed to be estimated at $500 million. The purchase of the Ingham stud will add to the already large Darley Stud organization in Australia and internationally, with operations in the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland and Japan. The purchase will include a thousand of the best thoroughbred horses in Australia, and interest from Darley Stud is seen as a long term investment in the racing industry of the country.
The extremely emotional decision made by Bob Ingham is still awaiting the approval of the Foreign Investment Review Board, but Ingham ensured that his choice to sell his business would not affect anyone working for him. Business will continue as usual, with all the employees at the racing stables and the stud farms retaining their positions. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum expressed his excitement and dedication to the horse racing industry in Australia, and his hopes to continue on the traditions and good name that has already been created by Ingham. While the public and employees come to terms with the Derby Stud take over, they have been reassured that the faith the Sheikh has in the industry and his vision for a successful future will see the empire continue to grow from strength to strength.
