Devcich has been appointed to the key position at Cambridge Stud and a role vacated by the resignation in March of Marcus Corban, who left after a near four decade-long association to pursue other opportunities.
For Devcich, it is a dream come true and one he has aspired to since his school days when he first became involved in the thoroughbred industry and a career path that he has followed ever since.
“I didn’t think I’d ever get to this stage of my life where I’d be managing a farm like Cambridge Stud. I remember when I first got into the industry and I always wanted to work at Cambridge Stud, but for one reason or another never got there,” Devcich said.
Marc Devcich
“It’s funny how things can turn out. It’s exciting and a real privilege to be General Manager at Cambridge Stud. It’s an iconic farm and obviously a world-renowned nursery, I’m really looking forward to it.”
Devcich will take up his new role at the Brendan and Jo Lindsay-owned operation on June 15.
Chief Executive Henry Plumptre said Devcich was a great fit for Cambridge Stud.
“I have known Marc and Sarah for 25 years and they are a quality couple. Marc is exactly the right person for Cambridge Stud.
“Marc is exactly the right person for Cambridge Stud.” – Henry Plumptre
“He has a great reputation and the experience we need. He has run a successful business himself and understands the fundamentals of running a stud farm properly.”
A great fit
Devcich, 47, said he was very much looking forward to his new role.
“Obviously, it’s a bit daunting going into a different position, but it has come at the right time of my life,” he said.
“I have experienced a lot and seen a lot. I’ve met some wonderful people and I’ve been fortunate to have worked under some great horsemen and had a number of great mentors.
“It’s moulded and prepared me well for this and it’s exciting. It’s a great industry, I love horses and all the great people involved.”
Te Akau's Jamie Richards, Brendan and Jo Lindsay, and Henry Plumptre
Devcich and his wife Sarah own and operate nearby Henley Park, a successful and respected agistment and sale preparation operation and there will be no change in the quality of service provided there.
“Sarah will run it and it will be business as usual. Nothing will change with the business model at Henley, apart from me not being there and I’ll be dedicated to the Cambridge Stud brand,” he said.
“Sarah is more than capable - I’ve only been her assistant for 10 years.”
His Cambridge Stud brief is a wide-ranging one and he’s ready to take up the challenge.
“I will oversee the farm, the day-to-day operation, organising staff and employment and keeping an eye on everything, including the farm at Karaka,” Devcich said.
“I will oversee the farm, the day-to-day operation, organising staff and employment and keeping an eye on everything, including the farm at Karaka.” – Marc Devcich
He grew up on a dairy farm, but his early life was touched by a family connection to the thoroughbred industry.
It will be business as usual over at Henley Park with Marc's wife Sarah at the helm
“Both my grandfathers raced horses with a little bit of success and I picked up on racing through that. I used to work in the school holidays for Highview Stud and I wanted to be involved with horses from then,” Devcich said.
“When I finished high school I was given an opportunity to work at Highview full-time by Brent Gillovic, which involved everything to do with the stud side of things - breeding and yearling preps and horse husbandry.
“He also gave me an opportunity in the breeding shed to handle the stallions. It gave me a lot of experience at a young age and I loved it.
“Thankfully, it all worked out well for me and Brent was kind enough to organise a job for me at Segenhoe in the off-season. Duncan Grimley was running the operation then and I did a yearling prep there.”
Marc with Dundeel (NZ)
Return to Australia
Devcich had no sooner returned home before Australia came calling again in the early 1990s.
“I got offered a job by Widden Stud so I went over and stayed there for four years. That’s when they had Marscay, Bletchingly and Vain,” he said. “It was an invaluable experience and a great grounding for me.
“There was always plenty to do and I was fortunate to do a horse management course when I was there. I was busy and so involved with the horses and if I wasn’t working I would be at the races.
“There were some great horses raised there, the dam of Schillaci was there and Widden sold horses like March Hare and Sydney’s Dream, the dam of Charge Forward.
“They were great times and working with the sort of bloodstock Widden had and the calibre of horsemen was really enjoyable and I learned so much.
“Steve Irwin, who is in charge of the yearlings at Arrowfield was there and so was Tas Riley, who has his own farm now at Mornington, Dave Collison ran the Darley arm in Victoria and I worked with internationals like the successful bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington.”
Marc gained experience early on in his career at Widden Stud
American experience
Devcich returned to a stint managing the yearling operation at Highview before he again headed offshore.
“I went to America for six months to Dixiana Farm, a boutique operation in Kentucky, and did a breeding season there. They had Mr Greeley and I really enjoyed that and got to go to the Saratoga Sales and Fasig-Tipton and the Kentucky Derby,” he said.
“I foaled down an English Derby winner called Benny The Dip while I was at Dixiana and that was quite a highlight. It was another great experience and I picked up a lot of knowledge along the way.”
Devcich returned home for another stint at Highview and met his future wife Sarah, who was then working at Curraghmore Stud.
“A friend of mine had mentioned to the Schick family about a young couple who might be worth employing to manage Mapperley Stud, a 450-acre property, and we were fortunate enough to get the job and did that for eight years,” he said.
Marc and Sarah | Image courtesy of Inglis
“It was a big farm and up to 350 horses and we managed them and the yearlings and broodmares and sold under the Mapperley banner.
“We had some great horses come off there, four or five Group 1 winners and 20-odd stakes winners. It was a wonderful part of our career.”
“We had some great horses come off there, four or five Group 1 winners and 20-odd stakes winners.” – Marc Devcich
The couple then moved to manage Windsor Park’s Halidon Hill, a 300-acre property utilised for spelling racehorses, wintering in-foal mares, growing out yearlings and for broodmares and foals over the later months of the breeding season
“We did that for about three or four years before the yearling manager’s job at Windsor Park came up and I did that for six years,” Devcich said.
In 2008, they purchased a 30-acre property then known as Ashwell Farm to establish Henley Park with the subsequent addition of another 30 acres.
“It’s been a good business venture for us and we’ve raised horses such as Dundeel and Bonneval and we bred Norzita and sold her through Windsor Park,” Devcich said. “We sold Midnight Oil under Henley and she won an Oaks and Hong Kong champion miler Beauty Flash.”
And so now on to Cambridge Stud for Devcich, who is appreciative of the opportunity afforded to him by the Lindsays and Plumptre.
“I’m delighted and looking forward to working with such a dedicated and passionate team of people,” he said.
