Chris and Dan Meagher to team up in Victoria as Hall of Fame father John battles ill health
Brothers Dan and Chris Meagher will reunite in Victoria to be closer to their Hall of Fame father John, who is battling ill health.
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Group 1-winning trainer Chris Meagher will link up with his brother Dan in Melbourne next month, however there is more than the cutthroat world of racing at play.
Meagher will move back to Victoria with his Hall of Fame father and former training partner John battling ill health.
Chris Meagher will have one of his final Queensland runners at Eagle Farm on Saturday in the form of Arentee and said Dan will bring around 10 horses to Australia from Singapore after the final ever meeting at Kranji last Saturday.
Among the imports will be Group 1 stars Lim’s Kosciuszko and Lim’s Saltoro.
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While he has continually punched above his weight with a boutique-sized operation in Brisbane, Chris said it had become increasingly difficult to compete.
“It is very much a family-oriented move because the old man is in a home and mum is just going OK,” Meagher said.
“With the brother, kids and sister-in-law coming home, it all made sense to be together really.
“Dad has dementia, he has been in a home for pretty much two years now and is pretty much non verbal now.
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“I struggle to get horses here in Brisbane, it is hard to compete with 12 horses.
“Dan probably won’t be in Australia until late this month, early next month, but I will go down to the old stomping ground at Mornington until December and then they are building stables for Dan and I.
“I will join up with him, whether that is in partnership or I am just working under him, I don’t know, but we will work it out – we will be under the one roof.”
Chris, Dan and John Meagher have all worked together in varying iterations over the years, with Singapore always playing a major role in the family business.
Moving back from Singapore to go into partnership with his father, Chris and John enjoyed Group 1 success with Pippie in 2020.
“The three of us were together in 2012, then in 2016 Dan went to Singapore, so it was me and John, then I went to Singapore not long after that, so it was just Dad,” Chris said.
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“I have three starters left up here, we have Arentee on Saturday and then two on Wednesday.
“I have a couple of them that will go down there with me at some point.
“While I’m enjoying it, and Dan is coming back, it is a good chance to move, we will have room for about 40 horses.
“We will see how the Singapore form measures up down there, I don’t think the Melbourneites will be too worried about them, but generally those horses with good form run well anywhere.”
Originally published as Chris and Dan Meagher to team up in Victoria as Hall of Fame father John battles ill health
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