Lime Country Thoroughbreds’ move from the NSW Southern Highlands to Blandford in the Hunter Valley has paved the way for the estate of the late Dato’ Tan Chin Nam to place Think Big Stud on the market.

The prized horse property, which has been tenanted by the Griffin family and their Lime Country Thoroughbreds operation since they relocated from New Zealand to Australia in 2016, has been listed with three rural property agents.

“We are exploring the interest to sell it. Think Big Stud has been offered off market on an open contract basis with a few leading rural property agents in a short term window,” said the stud’s managing director Duncan Ramage.

“If we don’t sell it we have the opportunity to re-lease it but we are exploring the option to sell it rather than keep it on a tenancy basis.”

Located in the village of Burradoo at Bowral and set on 121 hectares, Think Big Stud is being offered via private treaty as either one parcel or three separate 40 hectare allotments.

Ramage told ANZ Bloodstock News the decision does not mean there will be a reduction in the family’s level of interest and investment in Australian racing.

“Think Big Stud PTY LTD will continue to operate and race horses but it’s just that we no longer have the need to have a property to centralise our horses because we no longer have one exclusive trainer which was Bart (Cummings).

“Our horses are spread across multiple trainers from Sydney to Brisbane down to Victoria so the property is no longer of strategic benefit.”

Think Big Stud is located on the banks of the Wingecarribee River and is internationally recognised as a nursery of champion horses.

It has been used to spell or breed Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) and Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winners as well as numerous other stakes performers and is equipped for commercial stud operations with stallion barns, stabling, foaling yards as well as an irrigated 1200-metre grass track.

Ramage said that since the purchase of the original property back in 2006, Think Big Stud’s land holding has been expanded through the acquisition of surrounding property funded by prize-money earnings of some of their star horses, including So You Think (High Chaparral) and Viewed (Scenic).

Potential buyers have already started inspecting the property and as recently as yesterday it was showcased privately to an interested party.

“There is now an appetite globally and in Australia to have country estates outside of the metropolitan areas. We would be expecting an eight figure sum,” Ramage said.

Whilst the horse property belonging to Think Big Stud PTY LTD is up for sale, the group will continue its involvement in Australian racing under that banner, and, based on activity at the recent round of yearling sales, they will remain solid players in the market for a while to come yet.

“The horseracing business known as Think Big Stud will continue. We have actively bought into ten fresh yearlings this year by sires such as Caravaggio, Pierro, All Too Hard, Tavistock, Redoute’s Choice and So You
Think.

“The family is continuing on with racing and this property sale may free up some capital to continue that investment,” Ramage added.

Story courtesy of ANZ Bloodstock News