Patumahoe: Class act potential

CEDRIC GRAY visits a thoroughbred country horse-breeding unit with an enviable reputation.

Top Notch Lodge is the home of top-notch horses. The 5.4ha property, which is a few kilometres from the Patumahoe township in South Auckland, has an enviable reputation in standardbred horse circles thanks to the efforts of Tigerish - a quality mare who became the top two-, three- and four-year-old pacer during her racing career.

Her daughter, Tiger Turner, went on to became the top two-year-old, adding more than $500,000 to the Top Notch coffers.

Lodge owners Lindsay and Pam Turner take their race-day achievements in their stride. "The property is a working unit," says Lindsay. "It's there to be used at all levels, not just to be looked at."

The couple have done pretty well to conceal the working side of the operation. The stables, yards and auxiliary buildings are spotless, the pasture in the 12 paddocks reflects the fertility of the Patumahoe loam soil, mature shelter belts ensure warmth and privacy and the property's post-and-rail fencing is supplemented by internal electric outriggers.

It is a superb breeding, adjisting unit, which is also ideally suited to yearling preparation for the annual round of yearling sales. The main stables complex includes five stables with a wash-down bay, a gearing-up area and a large feed room. There are two further stables with day yards.

The lodge is at the end of a long driveway shared by neighbouring properties. The drive opens to a wide expanse of lawn and a variety of mature specimen trees.

The four-bedroom home, which was built nine years ago, has beautiful views over several paddocks to the commercial gardens 7km away on Pukekohe hill.

On two levels, the house opens to a large formal lounge on one side and an office on the other. Double-doors from the lounge lead to a spacious family dining room, a stylish kitchen with its cooking island and an outdoor balcony flowing to a pergola planted with white and purple wisteria.

The three bedrooms upstairs include the master bedroom with en suite and walk-in wardrobe. There is also a second family bathroom, a separate toilet and a small study on this level. A workshop on the ground floor offers the opportunity to establish a profitable cottage industry.

Top Notch Lodge has excellent water for household and stock use from a commercial bore, and there is ample parking for several vehicles.

The Turners intend to expand their operation on a nearby property. The lodge is for sale at an asking price of $725,000. Contact Mike Butler at Barfoot & Thompson, Papakura, on 298 8029 for details.