Inglis family prepare for move to $140M Warwick Farm facility

ONE of the state’s oldest horse-breeding families is on the move and their new purpose-built facility in Western Sydney won’t just include stables but bars, restaurants, a hotel and day-spa as well.

An artist’s impression of how the new Inglis Riverside Stables will look at Warwick farm.

• Inglis given green light to build complex at Warwick Farm
• Don’t Doubt Mamma Inglis Chairman’s sale

A CENTURY after they bought their Newmarket Stables in Randwick, the Inglis family is moving west, taking their thoroughbred business to a $140 million purpose-built, state-of-the art complex at Warwick Farm, bringing hundreds of jobs to southwest Sydney.

This year’s Australian broodmare and weanling sale in April will be the last at the 4.5ha Newmarket stables, which William Inglis & Son moved into in 1906 from a site in Missenden Rd Camperdown from which they had operated since the company began in 1867.

The Newmarket site was then purchased for 50,000 pounds in 1917.

The new complex, which will be known as Riverside Stables is expected to open in December and will host its first sale, the Classic Yearling Sale in February 2018.

Arthur and Jamie Inglis outside the old family home in Randwick they will farewell in favour of the new Warwick Farm complex. Picture: Mark Evans

Jamie Inglis, great-great-grandson of company founder William Inglis and a director of the family company said the decision to move was not easy, but the right one for the company.

“It will be hard to leave, I’ve been in the business 43 years and I’ve been coming here all my life, as far back as I can remember but it’s not as though we’re shutting the doors, that would be difficult but this is exciting and new,” he said.

His cousin Arthur Inglis, the company’s deputy chairman said the move was the right one for the company, just as the move from Camperdown to Randwick had been 110 years before.

“We do love it, but it has grown out of context with its surrounds — once upon a time Randwick had horses in every back yard, but now there’s none of that, we’re next door to a large hospital and the biggest university in the state,” he said.

Inglis Riverside Stables will feature a hotel as one of its major drawcards.

The new complex features a 145-room hotel known as the William Inglis, a microbrewery, bars, an up-market restaurant and even a day-spa.

The air-conditioned sales arena will include ringside dining for up to 600 guests, as well as corporate boxes and a mezzanine bar area.

“When you’re selling horses you need space to parade them and show them off at their best and you need space for the clients to be entertained,” said managing director Mark Webster.

Mr Webster said when the facility was not being used for horse sales, it would be host to conferences, weddings, concerts and other events, as well as visitors wanting to enjoy the dining and entertainment on offer.

The Inglis Riverside Stables will have a dedicated sales arena where buyers can enjoy some comfort as they look over stock for sale.

“About 90 per cent of the year we are not selling horses so the rest of the time this will operate as one of Western Sydney’s best conference and event facilities,” he said.

“And there’s going to be a lot of jobs, a lot of our staff will move but the new hotel, restaurants cafes, the days spa, the gym, it’ll be employing people in a whole lot of different ways,” he said.

The move from Newmarket will be marked with a number of events throughout the year.

The site has been sold to Cbus Property for a reported $250 million and there are plans for a residential development of 800 units on the historic site.

An artist’s impression of the roof bar at the proposed hotel at Inglis Riverside Stables.

The Inglis saleyards at the family's Newmarket stables. They will be used one more time before the business moves to the new Warwick Farm site. Picture: Mark Evans

A heritage listed barn at the Inglis family's Newmarket stables which is moving from Randwick to a spectacular new complex at Warwick Farm. Picture: Mark Evans

###