Latest news with #PharLap
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Grand Geelong mansion linked to 10 Melbourne Cup winners hits market
A grand Geelong mansion linked to multiple Melbourne Cup winners has hit the market in the city's east. The listing of St Albans Homestead gives a rare glimpse inside the historic 30-room manor set on an incredible 3.4ha estate. Vendor Geelong business owner Dean Montgomerey has meticulously restored and modernised 6-30 Homestead Drive, St Albans Park, since buying the property 15 years ago. Whitford, Newtown agent Peter Fort said with his children now grown, the time had come to sell the grand private residence. The new owners will take the reins of a significant piece of Australian racing history that produced direct lineage to 10 Melbourne Cup winners. Perhaps St Albans Stud's biggest claim to fame is secretly hiding legendary Phar Lap before his celebrated 1930 Melbourne Cup victory after a previous attempt on the racehorse's life. Mr Fort said the equine legacy continued through a substantial stable complex with 30 stalls that could form part of a future business at the property. 'Previously all those stables were agisted and it was even a wedding reception venue at one point so there's certainly lots of options,' he said. 'It's very rare to have that kind of landholding five minutes from the CBD. And when you are there you could think you were on 100 acres. 'The way the house was originally built was at the height of the hill there so you don't have anything overlooking.' The polychromatic brick homestead, built-in 1873, was designed by renowned Melbourne architect James T. Conlan. As well as the main six-bedroom residence, the property's $7m to $7.5m price tag includes a separate self-contained guesthouse, the stable complex, day paddocks, a tennis court and extensive botanical gardens. 'The owner is just a fiend for these types of properties. He had the old orphanage in Fyansford and he had some really grand homes in Ryrie St,' Mr Fort said. 'He is a real fan of that period of home and he is a real custodian. He makes the necessary changes that are required by certainly never major architectural changes. It's more restoration than renovation.'
Herald Sun
26-05-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Rosehill sale vote: Australian Turf Club meeting reveals result
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. To sell or not to sell, that is the question. The Australian Turf Club's proposal to sell Rosehill Gardens racecourse for a reported $5 billion to make way for 25,000 new homes will be determined by the club's 11,000-plus members on Tuesday. This is a defining moment for Sydney and NSW racing. It is up to the members to decide the fate of Rosehill, the home of the Golden Slipper. Rosehill is a historic venue and all the greats of Australian racing like Phar Lap, Tulloch, Bernborough, Todman, Vain, Luskin Star, Manikato, Kingston Town, Octagonal, Lonhro, Makybe Diva and Winx won major races there. But only 12,111 attended the Golden Slipper earlier this year and less than 100,000 people came to Rosehill meetings during the 2023-24 season. This is a disturbing decline in race day crowds given 191,671 came through the turnstiles in 2012-13. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! So, if this issue is not burdensome enough already for members, they also have to work out what is fact or fiction from what has been a very robust and often heated debate from proponents of the Yes and No votes. There have been so many claims and counterclaims from both sides of the argument that it has become increasingly difficult to work out what is right or wrong. ATC chairman Peter McGauran has said if members vote to sell Rosehill it will secure the future of Sydney racing. 'We believe it is the biggest and most important decision in the history of the club,'' McGauran said. 'It will make us the most financially secure race club in the world.'' Marhoona (green and white silks) wins the 2025 Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Picture: Bradley Photos • ATC tees off on Penrith golf course plan for new track in Sydney's west But Hall of Fame trainer Gai Waterhouse has led the charge against the sale, urging members to vote 'No'. 'Members still have no definitive proposal of any sort to justify a sale,'' Waterhouse wrote on social media earlier this month. 'Warwick Farm is unsuitable, there is no supporting evidence to say a track can be built, and if 'yes' wins then voting members lose all control of Rosehill. We may as well throw our betting tickets away.'' The Daily Telegraph, however, recently revealed Waterhouse has not attended a Rosehill meeting in five years and is more often seen at Melbourne race tracks. ATC expects at least half of the club's membership base of nearly 11,500 to vote on the issue. The 'no' vote is favourite with the Save Rosehill group having the support of many leading industry participants. But if members vote in favour of selling Rosehill, the land will be used to build 25,000 new homes while ATC has unveiled plans to redevelop Warwick Farm and build a new training facility near Penrith which has the potential to also to be a Group 1 racetrack. The $5 billion sale price is a one-off and is dependent on a decision being made in time for the NSW Government to build a new Metro station to service the homes that would be built on the racecourse land. In an endeavour to provide some clarity for those members still trying to decide how they will vote on Tuesday, this is a snapshot of the most pressing issues concerning the Rosehill sale proposal. 1: What does selling Rosehill mean for Sydney racing? If Rosehill is sold, ATC has stipulated racing will continue at the track until at least 2031. During this period, $800 million will be spent on transforming Warwick Farm, $520 million on upgrading stabling facilities and other infrastructure at Royal Randwick, and another $520 million allocated to building the training centre at Penrith. In total, $1.9 million will be spent on various infrastructure projects with the remaining $3 billion invested into a Future Fund. 2: Is the $5 billion guaranteed if Rosehill is sold? The resolution to sell Rosehill ensures that the deal will only proceed if the State Government agrees to pay ATC a net of $5 billion. Payment will be secured through a legally binding contract with the NSW Government, which will provide a mechanism to safeguard payment. 3: Who will have control of the funds? The ATC owns Rosehill Gardens and has stipulated it will retain complete legal and financial control over every dollar if the sale goes ahead. Racing NSW has provided written confirmation to the ATC that it will not seek to recover any of the net $5 billion in sale proceeds. 4: Is Warwick Farm a suitable and viable alternative to Rosehill? Under the ATC masterplan, Warwick Farm will undergo an $800 million transformation, including flood proofing, and a completely new racetrack and grandstand. At 87 hectares, it is vastly larger than Rosehill Gardens (60 hectares). 5: Is there a transition plan for trainers if Rosehill is sold? This is one of the most difficult aspects of the sale proposal as any potential sale of Rosehill and rebuild of Warwick Farm will directly impact trainers and their stable staff. ATC has vowed to work individually with all trainers on transition plans with the consultation period to last at least 12 months. No trainers at either Warwick Farm or Rosehill Gardens will be relocated for at least two years and the new Racing Advisory Board is there to provide advice and input on transition plans. 6: ATC's loyalty program for members The ATC is planning to introduce a loyalty program for members funded by proceeds from the proposed sale. Critics have described as a 'gimmick or bribe' while the club is hoping to use the program to increase club membership and what have been poor race-day attendances. The Loyalty program will provide free annual membership fees for five years, free annual membership for life for those members who already have been at the club for 20 or more years, and $1000 per annum food and beverage credits for five years. Originally published as Defining moment for racing in Sydney and NSW as Rosehill sale vote revealed by Australian Turf Club
Otago Daily Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Swiss take aim at proud claim
Invercargill town crier Lynley McKerrow in front of a Strang's Coffee mural shows what she thinks of Swiss coffee. PHOTO: TONI MCDONALD The Aussies claimed Phar Lap, the Yanks reckoned they came up with pavlova. Now those cunning Swiss are talking about how they invented instant coffee. But what has become a staple for many was in fact first made in the jewel of the south - Invercargill. The spurious Swiss claim was made on stage at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 semifinals this week as a couple of Swiss presenters delivered a song titled Made in Switzerland. The duo sang about all the items made in the land-locked country and first on the list was instant coffee. But the presenters were wrong. Instant coffee was first made in 1889 and patented a year later by David Strang, of Invercargill. It was sold under the trading name Strang's Coffee citing the patented ''dry hot-air'' process. Coffee may have changed markedly since then but Mr Strang and Invercargill still have pioneer status. Proud Southlander Lindsay Beer was appalled at the claim but expected the Swiss would prefer to stay in its neutral corner, as ''the Swiss don't really like a fight''. ''It's sacrilege - they can keep their Swiss army knives but it's sacrilege to pinch our coffee.'' He wondered if Southland should enter the contest next year to set the record right. ''We've got a huge amount of musical talent in the South.'' Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds was gobsmacked that Switzerland was trying to claim Invercargill's proud history as the birthplace of instant coffee. ''I will definitely be taking this major diplomatic incident further,'' Ms Simmonds said. Town crier Lynley McKerrow believed the claim rightly belonged to the South. ''The only thing the Swiss invented was the holes in the cheese. ''We might be small, but we're fierce and we fiercely stand by the truth and the truth is - instant coffee was from Southland. ''The Swiss can keep their milk chocolate, cheese, meringues and army knives, but keep their hands off our claim to instant coffee.'' Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark said he did not mind if the Swiss song made a claim instant coffee belonged to them if they were open to paying the city royalties on the song. ''We won't be greedy if 10% of the Spotify sales can come our way. We won't mention our early inventions around watches and chocolate as well.'' The Swiss Embassy declined to comment on the erroneous claim. - By Toni McDonald
NZ Herald
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
NZ Music Month: Why these are the country's best songs
New Zealanders have always been great songsmiths. But songs are more than just hits that wax then wane. They reflect and help define who we are and who we want to be. There are many claims to Now is the Hour. On one hand, it is – unlike pavlova, Phar Lap and Split Enz – undeniably Australian. The listed composer of a tune called the Swiss Cradle Song, Clement Scott, is a pseudonym for Albert Saunders, who worked for
News.com.au
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Geelong mansion linked to racing legend to be offered for sale
A historic Geelong mansion that played a big part in one of the most famous Melbourne Cup stories of all time is being prepared to hit the market. St Albans Stud has a direct link to 10 Melbourne Cup winners and another 13 through breeding lines, according to the Australian Racing Museum, but the eastern Geelong property's role in Phar Lap's 1930 victory is probably its most famous. Legend goes that Phar Lap trainer Harry Telford quietly asked then-owners whether he could hide the famous horse in secret at St Albans Stud after an apparent shooting attempt on Derby Day. That year 'Big Red' had won his first Cox Plate and was looking unbeatable for the first Tuesday in November. But at Caulfield on the Saturday before the race, the champion thoroughbred was returning to the stables after trackwork when he was apparently shot at from a nearby vehicle. Whether it was connections to notorious gangster Squizzy Taylor or bookies who stood to lose big time when the short-priced favourite won, or whether there was even a gun has been subject of much debate, but there is no doubting St Albans Stud's early pedigree. The mansion designed by Melbourne architect James T Conlan and built in 1873 for prominent horse trainer James Wilson and plays a big role in the suburb to this day, from the original gatehouse intact on Wilsons Rd, nearby streets named after Melbourne Cup winners, and several significant trees dotted around the area. Numerous horses, including Melbourne Cup winner Carbine, were buried on the old farm, leading to a VCAT heritage ruling in 2024 surrounding a landmark tree that marked a gravesite potentially affected by a subdivision proposal in a nearby neighbourhood. Geelong businessman Dean Montgomery has owned the 30-room brick mansion since 2010. Whitford, Newtown agent Peter Fort, who is preparing to list the mansion for sale, said it's a special home which the owners had maintained and improved. 'It's just one of those unique properties, the vendor hasn't changed it dramatically, the footprint or anything like that. He really is a true custodian to those period-style homes,' Mr Fort said. 'What he has done is countless amount of maintenance works carried out on the property, on the stalls themselves, as well the stable area and the gardens being improved dramatically. 'It's got a good pedigree and a historical significance, but the house is beautiful. It really is. I mean, if you like period homes, you're going to love this one.' The home is laced with period details, from the elaborate cast iron veranda, to stained glass windows honouring celebrated horses, it's a rare jewel. Although not set, the property is expected to hit the market with price hopes circa $7m-$7.5m.
