Ogbourne Maizey's Bonita Racing Stables for sale as Peter Makin decides to retire
Bonita stables - as shown on the Windsor Clive International websitePeter Makin's Bonita training yard at Ogbourne Maizey is up for sale following the trainer's decision to retire in November. He has been training for 48 years and has trained 780 winners - he is 71.
Bonita racehorse training centre has some of the finest gallops in the country - 154 private acres of them. With 54 boxes in two yards, two houses, two flats, a cottage, a staff hostel and 45 acres of paddocks, the agents are asking for offers "in the region of £3,000,000".
Explaining his decision to the Racing Post, Makin said: "I still love being with the horses on top of the downs every morning, but I find driving to the likes of Wolverhampton, Nottingham and Lingfield too tiring these days, which, at the age of 71, is probably something I must accept."
He added: "The time is right for me now. I feel privileged to have been involved in the sport for such a time. If I don't retire this season I'd be tempted to make it 50 years, by which time I'll be 73."
Makin sent out many winners of group races and high class handicaps from Bonita including the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot twice, the Stewards Cup at Goodwood and the Magnet Cup at York.
Bonita was set up by George Edwardes, the theatrical impresario in the 1890s. Former trainers there include the Hartigan brothers, Sir Gordon Richards and the leading national hunt trainer Bob Turnell who used the gallops and facilities to train many winners including the Gold Cup and the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. Bonita has been owned by only two families in the last 120 years.
One of Makin's most successful horses was Elbio who won Ascot's King's Stand Stakes twice - and Makin thinks Elbio would have made it a hat-trick if there had not been interference during that third race.
Full details of the sale can be found on the Windsor Clive International website.