Leneva Park will expand its operation in 2021 and take over Aquis Farm’s Victorian base in Seymour, where it will continue to stand young stallions Lean Mean Machine and Royal Meeting (Ire).
Leneva Park, a thoroughbred pre-training and spelling business that specialises in the preparation of horses for the racetrack and commercial sales, currently operates out of a base in Longwood, south of Euroa. It will continue to maintain that business while building its existing breeding and yearling development arm at Seymour Park.
Seymour Park is owned by prominent racehorse owner Darren Thomas and Leneva Park Director Luke Vandersluys was grateful for the opportunity to lease the property to grow the operation.
"I’ve learned that opportunities like this don’t come along very often in the thoroughbred world and certainly not at a property like Seymour Park,” Vandersluys said.
Lean Mean Machine
“I’m very grateful to Darren Thomas and Mark Pilkington for the opportunity to lease Seymour Park and to Shane McGrath, Aquis and the shareholders of Lean Mean Machine and Royal Meeting for having faith in my team.”
"I’ve learned that opportunities like this don’t come along very often in the thoroughbred world and certainly not at a property like Seymour Park." - Luke Vandersluys
Leneva Park will continue to operate its pre-training business from the Longwood property while broodmare, yearling and stallion services will be offered from the new Seymour location.
Stallion manager Brian Byrnes will continue in a management role after making a significant impact with local breeders during his two years on the property, and as Leneva Park aims to grow its existing stallion roster, Byrnes and his team will have even more to offer mare owners in coming seasons.
“We have the facilities to stand four stallions and soon we hope to announce an exciting opportunity for fellow Victorian breeders to join us in the ownership of another high-quality stallion for next season,” Vandersluys said.
Lean Mean Machine - Kulgrinda colt
“The buzz around Lean Mean Machine is real, his foals are of a very high quality and we are hopeful that Royal Meeting produces the same when his first foals arrive in 2021.
“We plan to grow our stallion roster, our staff and our profile; the Victorian thoroughbred industry is only getting stronger and my family and my team are proud to be a part of it.”
The announcement of Aquis’ departure from the Victorian ranks comes after the operation, which is owned by Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung, made significant cuts to its nominations and marketing team at the end of November this year.
The Victorian future of Needs Further, who stood his first season at Aquis Victoria in 2020, has not been confirmed.
