An exclusive look inside Lloyd Williams’ lavish and private Macedon Lodge complex
Leviathan owner Lloyd Williams has plotted half of his Melbourne Cup triumphs from his mysterious Macedon Lodge complex, which is for sale. Leo Schlink was given a tour of the spectacular facilities.
SuperRacing
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperRacing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- All-Star Mile bid no Joke for trainer
- Young hoop shines in city with four winners
- Bloody close: How Alligator made it on time
Lloyd Williams won’t miss Mt Macedon’s gnawing winter chill.
At 79, Williams no longer has the desire — or robust health — to spend icy mornings at his sprawling Macedon Lodge complex plotting Group 1 glories.
June and July’s soaking rains and knifing wind are for younger men. And so is Macedon Lodge.
Stream over 50 sports Live & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS on your TV, computer, mobile or tablet. Just $25/month, no lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly >
The custom-designed property is on the market and has attracted global interest.
Touted as the finest property of its kind in the southern hemisphere, it will be off-loaded without two intrinsic and invaluable assets — Williams’ management and horsemanship.
While cynics take issue with anybody lacking a training licence proffering suggestions, the most successful owner in Melbourne Cup history has made it a bountiful art form.
And, by dint of his colossal achievements, he has earnt the right to have an opinion.
From his eyrie on the lower slopes of Mt Macedon, he often espoused his racing mantra to a select group.
“You can’t win the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup in June and July, but you can lose it,” Williams would tell associates.
The advice was usually relayed to his trainers and track riders as the developer and still influential former Victorian Racing Club director stood at the 1000m mark of the synthetic track.
Williams knew exactly how his blue bloods were travelling ahead of Group 1 assignments by the way they handled the testing uphill contours.
“He loved standing at the 1000m mark because at Macedon the track is relatively straightforward for the first 400m, but by the time the horses reach the 1000m mark it really starts to rise,” son Nick Williams said.
“He would stand there and see which horses really pinned their ears back and attacked the hill.
“You just knew from that which horses were fit and, more importantly, in a great frame of mind going into a big race.
“He loved the planning and the preparation. He got as much satisfaction out of that as winning.
“By October, the horses were fit and ready to go. What you did or didn’t do in June and July would either help you or haunt you in the spring. He understood that.”
Macedon Lodge stretches over about 120ha.
Its world-class facilities can accommodate 150 horses.
It cost $5 million in 2005 and Williams is reputed to have invested a further $33 million on the once rustic and spartan facility.
Williams is sad to be parting company with it, having overseen three Melbourne Cup conquests and countless other black-type spoils.
“It is very difficult. The buyer needs to love and treasure Macedon as we do,” Lloyd said.
“The facility is unique. The environment is very special.
“Even before our time at Macedon Lodge, horses of the calibre of (2001 Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup winner) Ethereal and (Black Caviar’s sire) Bel Esprit won major Group 1 races when trained at the property.
“That was despite the property at that time having only very, very limited facilities.”
The names of Macedon Lodge’s most accomplished gallopers are sprinkled on plaques across the property. Almandin, Merlene, Gallic, Reset and Mourayan feature.
Williams spent 14 years behind the fortified gates and fences, mulling the prospects of costly imports, mostly sourced from Europe after a long stint at buying New Zealand’s finest.
Until recently he preferred to stay away from Flemington on Cup Day. Hands on. Engaged.
“The favourite part of his day would be watching the horses come home after the races and getting off the truck,” Nick said of his father.
“It was obviously even better when we won the Cup.”
Williams has no peer in the Cup’s 158-year history as an owner. Just A Dash (1981) and What A Nuisance (’85) were trained at Flemington.
Efficient (2007), Green Moon (’12) and Almandin (’16) were Macedon Lodge graduates, while Rekindling was launched to victory by Irishman Joseph O’Brien via Werribee.
Of the three housed at Macedon Lodge, none had a more dramatic transformation than Green Moon.
“So many horses that arrived were impossible to handle, they were so highly strung,” Lloyd said.
“The Macedon Lodge environment totally changed their life.
“The best example is Green Moon, who was impossible on arrival and within 12 months was quiet and settled, and became a Cup winner.
“The property provides the opportunity for horses to exercise on over 15km of tracks and trails. It teaches them to relax.”
Williams’ favourite horse is Zipping, four-time winner of the Sandown (now Zipping) Classic.
He rates Efficient as the family’s most talented galloper.
“He carried an injury throughout his career,” Nick said.
“He won a Victoria Derby and we planned to run him in the Cup three days later.
“He eventually won the Cup so easily and we always thought, had he been sound, he could have won anywhere in the world.
“As an indication of how good he was, when he ran second in the (2012) Sydney Cup he hadn’t been on the track for a gallop in eight weeks.
“He ran second to Niwot in that Cup on absolute heart and class.
“We were told if we galloped him before the race we wouldn’t have a horse. He did an enormous amount of work in the water walkers and swimming up at Macedon Lodge.
“He was a special horse and Macedon Lodge is a special place.”
Macedon’s sale was launched at the Gold Coast Magic Millions sale.
Originally published as An exclusive look inside Lloyd Williams’ lavish and private Macedon Lodge complex