By Michael Floyd
Renowned trainer Dan Meagher has officially launched his new stables at Pakenham, marking an exciting new chapter in his career.
Following a successful tenure in Singapore, Meagher is eager to build on his achievements and make an impact on the Victorian racing scene.
The son of Australian Racing Hall Of Fame inductee and Melbourne Cup winning trainer John Meagher, Dan had forged a thriving business in one of Asian racing’s biggest jurisdictions.
After moving to the city-state in 2016, Meagher built his team from a handful of horses to one of the largest and most successful stables on the island.
His first stable star, Lim’s Lightning, was the first – and only – horse to win the country’s premier sprint (the Lion City Cup) and the country’s premier distance race (the Singapore Gold Cup), and was named Singapore Horse of the Year in 2021.
10-time Group 1 winner, Lim’s Kosciuszko, followed with back-to-back Horse of the Year titles in 2022 and 2023, before Lim’s Saltoro became just the second horse to claim the Singapore Triple Crown.
With 16 Group 1 wins and over 320 winners overall, Meagher had established himself one of Asia’s premier trainers.
However when the Singapore government announced that thoroughbred racing would end in October 2024, bringing a close to the sport’s 180-year history in the country, Meagher’s world was turned upside down.
“The Singapore closure was devastating at the time,” said Meagher.
“We’d just started going up – in numbers, in winners, in Group 1 winners – then they say they’re closing; it was a shock to the system.”
With 12 months to plan his next step, Meagher ramped up his numbers to record more than 50 winners in his final season – the most of his eight years in Singapore – while simultaneously planning the next phase of his career.
A return to Queensland, where he had trained previously with his father and siblings Chris and Paul, was an option.
However a meeting with Southside Racing officials and a tour of the facilities soon had Meagher convinced that Pakenham was the right place to establish a new stable.
“I flew back (from Singapore) and looked at a few places, and it was my uncle Pat Carey who trains at Mornington who was the one who said let’s look at Pakenham.
“I was pretty sold on it straight away.
“I could see their vision, and when you see that you really get the confidence to move your life.
“We’ve got everything here at Pakenham.
“You’ve got a great swimming pool, the best I’ve seen.
“You’ve got a water walker, you’ve got a deep sand track, a normal sand track, a beautiful polytrack, inside grass gallop track, then you’ve got the wetlands track which is great for the horse’s mental state, then the rise uphill turf.
“I might have missed one – I haven’t got to them all yet – but it’s just a great facility.
“It’s a privilege to be here and I think anyone who trains here would have to agree.”
Meagher moved into his new facility in January and when complete, will operate a 40-horse barn alongside his brothers Chris and Paul under the Dan Meagher Racing Australia banner.
“We’re a really close family,” Meagher said.
“Chris is the most relaxed, best bloke ever…everything is going to be alright with Chrisy.
“He’s very good at what he does, a very good horseman, a very good trainer in his own right.
“He just keeps everything calm.
“Paul is just work, work, work, and will do everything.
“Great with horses, a terrific horseman – and his attention to detail – he got that from dad – doesn’t miss a trick.
“We work in well together.
“There are only a few people you can trust in life, and it’s your family you can trust, so when your family is with you in your business it’s a big plus.”
While Meagher was a regular competing in Singapore’s biggest races, he is cognisant of the task ahead in the most competitive racing jurisdiction in Australia.
Of his Singaporean imports, Meagher believes Lim’s Saltoro has the best chance of succeeding in Australia.
However, his main goal for the remainder of 2025 is simple – to train as many winners as possible.
“Singapore was great, it was great living, good for my family and I learnt a lot about training and if you speak to other trainers that have trained there they’ll say the same thing – it makes you a better trainer,” he said.
“It was a great experience, but now it’s time to move on and take that success and bring it here.
“It doesn’t matter if we win races at Swan Hill or Kilmore or wherever.
“I’m very motivated to bring that success and train as many winners as I can.”
