Ciaron Maher reacts to mega-stable backlash

Leading trainer Ciaron Maher says it is absurd to suggest a cap should be placed on the number of horses he can train.

“That’s ridiculous. That’s spoken by someone with a very small mind,” he told RSN.

“The goal is to train every horse and place every horse to the best of its ability.

“Some people can do that with a maximum of five horses. Some people can do that with 50 horses and that’s as many as they can handle.

“If you’ve got people and structure … you analyse your business year-on-year and if I ever felt there was ever a point where we couldn’t do that (then) that would be the level.”

Maher’s training foothold has expanded rapidly over the past few seasons and his operation has entered a new phase after receiving Australian Turf Club approval to train out of Leilani Lodge, the Randwick stables made famous by Bart Cummings.

“As I said we haven’t grown for a couple of years and we’re very happy where we are at the moment,” he said.

But Maher flagged the possibility of making his presence felt with an overseas set-up once he beds down the workings of his Randwick yard.

“It certainly makes sense but there is still a bit of change going on with Randwick and Warwick Farm and things like that (at the moment),” he said.

“(But) I certainly wouldn’t rule that out with the amount of horses we import.”

Maher last week welcomed Group 1-winning mare Benedetta as the latest high-profile transfer to his multi-state stable.