Ben Sellenger departs Ciaron Maher Racing
Ciaron Maher’s chief executive Ben Sellenger has suddenly left the champion trainer’s business, continuing the rationalisation of the enormous dual-state stable.
Ciaron Maher’s chief executive Ben Sellenger has suddenly left the champion trainer’s business, continuing the rationalisation of the enormous dual-state stable.
The Straight has confirmed that Sellenger, who joined Ciaron Maher Racing as its CEO in September 2022, is no longer with the company, less than a month after a round of redundancies were made at its Ballarat and Sydney stables and Albert Park head office.
Sam Cavanough, the son of Scone-based Group 2-winning trainer Brett Cavanough, has been appointed as CMR’s interim CEO.
An email stating the executive change and reiterating that it was business as usual had been sent by Maher to clients.
Sellenger, whose profile page on the CMR website has already been removed, told this publication in February that structural changes had been made, leading to a “small number of job losses”.
“The reason is (that we are) taking an 18 to 24-month view in terms of challenges that we see as facing the industry and trying to be ahead of the game,” Sellenger said on February 19.
“Like any sort of good corporate modelling, (we are trying) to get ready for what we see as coming in terms of drops in potential prize money and other increasing costs for the industry.”
Prior to joining Maher, Australia’s leading trainer this season with 189 winners and $46 million in prize money, Sellenger was a senior corporate lawyer before joining the PGA Tour of Australasia as its CEO.
Sellenger also worked at the Australian Football League during his 20-year corporate career.
Maher and Sellenger did not comment further when contacted by The Straight.
Maher has grown his presence in New South Wales in recent years, operating from Warwick Farm, Bobs Farm near Newcastle and the Racing NSW-owned Bong Bong Farm in the state’s Southern Highlands.
He also has ambitions to train from Randwick, possibly at the expense of Warwick Farm, if and when boxes become available at the premier Sydney racecourse and the trainer is granted permission by the Australian Turf Club.
Tim Rowe
Author
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