The sudden move ends Aquis' three-year tenancy arrangement at Emirates Park at Murrurundi and sees the burgeoning outfit leave the Hunter Valley for the historic Gooree Park, located around 200km away.
Gooree Park made the historic decision early this year to open itself up to outside clients after 40 years under the ownership of Philippine businessman Eduardo Cojuangco, who passed away last month.
The property has produced Group 1 winners such as Desert War (Desert King {Ire}), Northern Meteor, Laser Hawk (Artie Schiller {USA}), Hallowed Crown, Your Song and Prized Icon (More Than Ready {USA}).
Aquis CEO Tony Williams said his company was looking to remodel its approach to its business in New South Wales and had opted out of its deal with Emirates Park to pursue an agreement with Gooree Park.
"Gooree Park had been opened up for the public and we saw it as a great opportunity to be able to access such an iconic farm with a great reputation for being able to rear and breed great horses," Williams told TDN AusNZ.
"It also enables us to have our stallions situated out there. It is a little further away than the Hunter Valley obviously, but it's a world-class set-up and we are pretty pleased to be able to go out to Gooree."
"Gooree Park had been opened up for the public and we saw it as a great opportunity to be able to access such an iconic farm with a great reputation for being able to rear and breed great horses." - Tony Williams
Aquis will stand Pierata and Bellevue Hill for their first seasons at Gooree, alongside second-season stallions Santos and Brave Smash (Jpn), third-season stallions Invader, Jukebox and Spieth (NZ) and fourth-season stallion Divine Prophet.
Williams admitted plans had progressed very quickly with the 2020 breeding season less than two months away, but he is confident everything will be in place in time.
Aquis CEO Tony Williams is confident everything will be in place for the 2020 breeding season
"Our stallions will be out at Gooree under the Aquis banner, and we will be sending a lot of our stock out there as well, as well as having stock at our Queensland and Victorian farms," he said.
"It’s all moved quickly, but we are always thinking of what is best for the business going forward. With Gooree Park changing its own model, it changed the dynamic of our thoughts and we looked to take that opportunity.
"With Gooree Park changing its own model, it changed the dynamic of our thoughts and we looked to take that opportunity. " - Tony Williams
"Is there ever a good or bad time to make changes? You need to make them as you see fit. You work within the constraints you have. Yes, it’s close to the season, but we will manage it all and we’ve got some good staff to go with us out there."
Williams said there would be staffing implications from the change, with all of Aquis' stock, except for the stallions, to be under the management of Gooree Park, which is headed by long-time General Manager Andrew Baddock.
Gooree Park's long-time General Manager, Andrew Baddock with the late Eduardo Cojuangco
Some existing Aquis staff would make the move across, while there will also be opportunities for staff to be redeployed at the Victorian or Queensland farms as well.
"It's still a work in progress. We are in the infancy of trying to put everything together, but if you are going to make a decision, and do these things, you really have to go ahead and do it," Williams said.
New chapter for Gooree Park
Baddock welcomed Aquis to Gooree Park in what will be a whole new chapter for the farm.
"In a very short period of time, Aquis has made great inroads into the thoroughbred breeding and racing industry. We are confident that this is the right step in the next phase of our reintroduction as a commercial entity within the industry," Baddock said.
Williams said that Aquis didn’t have a time frame for its commitment to the Mudgee region, but it was the right place for them to be for a 'good while'.
Andrew Baddock is confident the partnership with Aquis is the right step in the reintroduction of Gooree Park as a commercial entity within the industry
He also paid tribute to the relationship with Emirates Park, which allowed Aquis to establish foundations within the thoroughbred industry heartland since 2017.
"Emirates Park from an Aquis point of view was a wonderful opportunity in itself to allow Aquis to establish itself as a force. It’s a very good property and they have been good people," he said.
The future direction of the Emirates Park property in the Upper Hunter Valley, which has been under the ownership of Nasser Lootah and his family for over 30 years, is not yet known.
