Well known bloodstock
breeder Sir Edmund Loder has decided to retire and is putting his beautiful
property on the market through Paddy Jordan of Jordan Town & Country Estate
Agents. Eyrefield Lodge Stud is located
between Kilcullen and Newbridge, 3 km from the Curragh Racecourse, 16 km from
Goffs, 50 km from Dublin and its International Airport. It also has easy access to both the M7 and M9
which are both 3 km from the property.
Bought by Major Eustace
Loder in 1897 who set about rebuilding and enlarging the farm. Known
as “Lucky Loder” he won the Irish Derby and the Oaks in 1900 and then the next
year bred the peerless Pretty Polly whose descendants still live here.
As a racehorse Pretty
Polly set standards for the century and she was the best 2 year old filly of
hers or any generation since. She was sent to Newmarket to be trained by
Peter Purcell Gilpin at his newly built Clarehaven Stables, currently occupied
by John Gosden.
In her first race
over 5 furlongs, most assumed that there had been a false start, when she was
seen romping clear after 2 furlongs. The
judge estimated her winning distance at 10 lengths but contemporary pictures
show it was more like 20. She won the
1000 Guineas in record time at a canter, strolled home in the Oaks (100/8 on)
and then trashed the 2000 Guineas and Derby winner St. Amant in the St.
Leger. She retired to stud as the winner
of 22 of her 24 starts.
At 4 her
victories included Coronation Cup, Champion Stakes and Jockey Club Cup. At 5 she won another Coronation Cup. More recent winners include:-
·
Unite – Irish Oaks
·
Caerwent – Group 1, Sire
·
Marling – Champion Filly in Europe
·
Marwell – Champion Sprinter in Europe
·
Vintage Tipple – Irish Oaks
·
Overbury – Group 1
This charming
period property is ideally located between Kilcullen and Newbridge as well as
being only 3 km from the Curragh Racecourse.
Goffs is 16 km whilst Dublin and its International Airport is 50
km. Both the M9 and M7 are 3 km from the
property. Originally built as a hunting
lodge it sits on a wonderful setting with magnificent mature timber, the
gardens and grounds are a feature of the property with beautiful herbaceous
borders, box hedges, topiary, rose garden, vegetable garden and
greenhouse. The graveyard at the end of
the fern walk contains the graves of Pretty Polly, Spearmint, Spion Kop,
Marwell and Marling.
This trophy
property includes the main period residence (5,048 sq.ft.) comprising drawingroom, sittingroom, diningroom and
library, all with vaulted ceilings and most attractive fireplaces, which look out
onto the veranda and overlook the lawn paddocks.
There is an office, library, fully fitted kitchen,
breakfastroom with Aga cooker. In all
there are 7 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms.
The master suite includes dressingroom and bathroom.
There is ample staff accommodation including: Stud Groom’s House, The Gate Lodge, The Oat
Loft Flat and Eyre Cottage.
The stud includes 55 boxes laid out in 3 yards
including an automatic walker, indoor arena, tack, feedrooms and cattle shed.
The limestone land is all top quality with no waste
whosoever. Laid out in 17 post and
railed paddocks with tremendous shelter, good fencing and piped water with
internal farm road giving easy access to all paddocks.
Amenities in the area include hunting with the
Kildares and South County. Racing at the
Curragh home of all the Irish Classics - 5 minutes drive, Punchestown 10
minutes, Naas 15 minutes and Leopardstown 40 minutes drive.
Golf is available at the Curragh Golf Club, the K Club
in Straffan, Naas and Rathsallagh.
Eyrefield Lodge Stud presents the opportunity to
acquire one of the many trophy properties in Kildare with a charming family
residence convenient to Dublin City and its International Airport.
Commenting on the sale Paddy Jordan said that it is
one of the most important stud farms to come on the market in Kildare, with all
the ancillary facilities available for a stud operation on some of the best
land in the county. For sale by private
treaty Jordans are inviting offers in excess of €4m. Viewing is strictly by prior appointment with
Jordan Auctioneers 045-433550.
