Cover image courtesy of Sportspix
In 2020, the racing industry mourned the passing of well-respected horseman and breaker Rick T. Worthington, with an outpouring of tributes from all over the country for the veteran trainer. Danric Lodge, his breaking and pretraining facility nestled in the Southern Highlands, has been closed for most of the period since - until late 2024, when the property reopened for spelling and rehabilitation, keeping the same name in Worthington’s honour.
Worthington needs little introduction; the breaker for elite stallions such as Exceed And Excel, Flying Spur, Encosta De Lago, and Snitzel, and as a popular Warwick Farm trainer who steered Whitefriars (Arena) and Honesty Prevails (Redoute’s Choice) to Group victories. The latter mare would go on to produce G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Profondo, who was an untrialled 2-year-old trained by Richard Litt at Worthington’s home track when he passed.
The late Rick Worthington | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
It was an enormous legacy that Operations Manager Louise Lyndsay, Stud Manager Will Forrester, and Spelling Manager Jake Roxburgh have to follow in the footsteps of. With that in mind, they have kept the property’s name.
Convening the right team
Jake Roxburgh grew up in the sporting and rodeo world, breaking in and training his own horses. He knew of Worthington’s accomplishments from afar, but had little to do with the racing world until he took a job with Oak Ridge Spelling & Agistment, the spelling partner to Wild Oaks.
“When I went into Oak Ridge about seven years ago, I learned everything that I could about the industry,” Roxburgh said. “And I fell in love with the industry.”
“When I went into Oak Ridge about seven years ago, I learned everything that I could about the industry, and I fell in love with the industry.”- Jake Roxburgh
Roxburgh started at the bottom and worked his way up to a management position over his stretch with Oak Ridge. Last year, he considered going out on his own and Danric Lodge offered the perfect opportunity to be part of something special.
“I thought to myself, ‘well, you know what? There's no reason why I can't do this for myself," Roxburgh recalled. “Then I met with Louise (Lyndsay), and this is what we're developing.”
Danric Lodge Entrance | Image courtesy of Worthington Racing
Lyndsay’s passion for the horse was also born at a young age, attending Pony Club and competing at Sydney Royal. Her life has been intertwined with thoroughbreds since the early 2000s, both on and off the track, and the project of restoring Danric Lodge is something she has fully invested herself in.
“I've always had just a love of horses and a compassion for horses,” Lyndsay said. While she didn’t know Worthington personally, working on the Danric Lodge property has brought her closer to his memory. “Every single person obviously speaks really highly of him.
“I sort of feel a little bit connected, and I just didn't want to change the name. We wanted to keep it in Rick's memory and hopefully bring it back to what it was like when Rick was here.”
“I sort of feel a little bit connected (to Rick Worthington), and I just didn't want to change the name. We wanted to keep it in Rick's memory and hopefully bring it back to what it was like when Rick was here.” - Louise Lyndsay
The third member of the trio, Forrester originates from Western Australia. He shares a background in rodeo with Roxburgh, but his switch to thoroughbreds came much earlier, when he entered Perth’s racing industry in 2009. Trackriding and breaking in on his way across the country, Forrester arrived at Bimbadeen Park in 2012 and honed his skills under the tutelage of Olympian Shane Rose.
Since 2015, he has operated his own breaking and pretraining business in the Southern Highlands, starting the careers of stars like sprint star Malkovich (Choisir) and triple Listed winner Flying Crazy (Flying Artie), and is a valuable addition to the new Danric Lodge team.
“His breaking in process is so calm and so easy for them that it doesn't seem to be a stress at all,” said Roxburgh, who described Forrester as a “typical country guy with a passion for horses”. “He’s very patient. If a horse is taking a bit longer to progress, it’s no skin off his nose.”
“We've got a great team of experienced people,” Lyndsay said. “We've spent a lot of time over the last year, just getting things back up to speed.”
A focus on rehabilitation
The team has undergone a massive effort over the last year to refresh the 50-acre property, which has stood empty since Worthington’s passing. While the training track still stands, the focus of the business has shifted towards boutique spelling and rehabilitation.
“It won't be opened up in the exactly the same capacity as Rick had it,” Lyndsay continued. “The property is really set up to be a boutique operation. We've got time to do customised care, we've got the experts and access to vets.
“It’s a safe space where horses can have time out. It's very quiet here, very peaceful.”
For Roxburgh, rehabilitating athletes is a particular passion.
Horses at Danric Lodge at 2022 | Image courtesy of Danric Lodge
“I'm very patient when it comes to the rehab because I think, well, we can't go out and sprain an ankle and, two weeks later, run a marathon,” he said. “Not only that, these animals can't tell us what's wrong with them. We’ve got to work it out and get it right, otherwise we're not doing anything to benefit them.”
“It’s a nice environment for rehabilitation, and obviously we have the knowledge of Jake and Will that have done it before,” Lyndsay said.
“I enjoy the fact that I can get them back fit and healthy, ready to race again,” Roxburgh said. While there is great satisfaction in seeing a horse graduate from their paddocks back to the track, he still feels proud when a horse in his care can be made comfortable even if the prognosis for racing is poor. “To bring that horse back to having a good quality of life is probably one of the proudest things that we do.”
“We haven't been in a massive rush to try and make Danric anything huge,” Roxburgh added. “We love the fact that it's small. It's a bit more personal. Our clientele are more than welcome to visit the farm anytime they like.” -
“We haven't been in a massive rush to try and make Danric anything huge. We love the fact that it's small. It's a bit more personal. Our clientele are more than welcome to visit the farm anytime they like.” - Jake Roxburgh
“It's more of a family here. And if their horses are thriving, we're thriving.”
The continuation of a legacy
“We very much appreciate that Rick was well respected, and we'd like to try and honor him as we continue on,” Lyndsay said.
The last city winner that Worthington trained was a fairly plain little bay named Steel Diamond (Star Witness), a full sister to Kitchwin Hills’ fledgling sire Graff, who recorded her third and final win in June of 2020, just three months before Worthington’s passing. She continued in the hands of Chris Waller for two years, picking up a handful of placings before retiring to stud in 2022. She was sent to Newgate Farm’s Deep Field, in what would turn out to be his last season at stud.
Lot 991 - Deep Field x Steel Diamond (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
In 2023, she delivered a colt, one of only six foals born by the stallion that year, and one of two colts. He passed in when offered by Newgate at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last month, bidding finishing just shy of his reserve. Steel Diamond has since delivered a filly by Stay Inside, and was covered by the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner again last spring.
Across the Tasman, Profondo, who grew from immature 2-year-old to win a Group 1 at his third start, saw the delivery of his first foals last spring. Worthington’s legacy continues in many forms, and the rejuvenated Danric Lodge represents one ever-growing thread.
