🔒 🔒 Makybe Diva owner Santic to lease Victorian thoroughbred property after 23 years

Tony Santic, the prominent racing industry figure synonymous with Melbourne Cup heroine Makybe Diva, is placing his renowned Victorian thoroughbred stud up for lease via an expression of interest process.

The South Australian tuna farmer purchased the property near Geelong in 2003, the same year his northern hemisphere-bred mare won the first of three straight Melbourne Cups on her way to becoming part of Australian racing folklore.

Santic named the property, then a 1200-hectare parcel of land at Gnarwarre, Makybe Racing and Breeding, after his champion mare with the farm producing a host of high-class racehorses in the more than two decades since.

They include elite sprinter-miler and remarkable reverse shuttle stallion Starspangledbanner, Hong Kong sprinter Mr Stunning, Gold Anthem, Headway, Amicus, Gold Chant, Captured By Love and Divanation, a daughter of Makybe Diva.

Makybe Diva spent much of her retirement at the stud during her 20 years off the racetrack. She was retired after her 2005 Melbourne Cup victory and died in February at the age of 27.

Santic also bred and co-owns this year’s $1 million The Showdown winner Big Wigs, a colt by Gold Standard who ran an eye-catching first-up fourth in last Saturday’s Group 3 Vain Stakes at Caulfield.

The boutique thoroughbred property is located in close proximity to prominent stallion farm Rosemont Stud and Dean Harvey’s Baystone Farm.

Donovan & Co Property Specialists is managing the leasing process of the property, which was downsized to 200 hectares in 2012.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find an industry participant who doesn’t know about Makybe and the Santic family, so opportunities to lease a farm of this scale and reputation are incredibly rare,” Clint Donovan said.

“The success achieved off the farm is something that can’t be ignored. For decades, Makybe has proven itself time and time again as a high-class breeding and racing operation. 

“The combination of carrying capacity, water security, proven breeding location and reputation creates a unique opportunity for someone looking to establish or expand a serious equine operation.”

Infrastructure includes an eight-box stable complex featuring staff amenities and veterinary facilities, mare and foal crush with holding yard, extensive water infrastructure and a three-bedroom, two-bathroom manager’s residence.

Donovan said the scale of Makybe is expected to attract significant interest from commercial operators, with the property having historically carried more than 100 horses while still retaining additional grazing capacity.

While the farm offers a practical and proven broodmare operating platform, it also provides flexibility for an incoming tenant to further tailor the infrastructure to suit their individual business requirements.