One of the icons of the New Zealand horse racing and breeding industries Sir Patrick Hogan has died. He was 83.

Hogan was famous worldwide in the racing industry for the exploits of Cambridge Stud, the racing and breeding operation he started which shaped the thoroughbred racing industry in New Zealand and Australia.

His fame reached such levels he once had an audience with the Pope and one of his proudest moments was when the late Queen Elizabeth II went to Cambridge Stud for a personal tour in 1990.

Hogan, born in New Zealand of Irish heritage, was himself racing royalty, rising to the top of the industry through Cambridge Stud’s champion stallions like Sir Tristram and Zabeel, who sired Melbourne Cup winners and champions right across Australasia.

But his relentless success wasn’t just born of the deeds of those two great horses. He was the leading vendor at the Karaka yearling sales for 31 consecutive years.

His economic footprint in the racing industry would run well into hundreds of millions of dollars, money that also went back into the pockets of fellow breeders and owners around the world.

Sir Patrick Hogan at the Karaka Bloodstock Centre in 2006. Photo / Bradley Ambrose

By Hogan’s side at Cambridge Stud for 38 years of his remarkable career was stud manager Marcus Corban who says that success was built on the back of professionalism and hard work.

 “He was a total perfectionist,” remembers Corban.

“He always wanted things done the right way and even though he was always up early if he had to stay up late to make sure things were done the right way, then he did that.

“That wasn’t a one-off thing for him. That was his attitude, his ethos, for decades and decades. Seven days a week almost every week.

“He had a wonderful eye for a horse and his knowledge was amazing.”

Corban says for all his race track and sales ring exploits, Hogan was most proud of the day Her Majesty, a huge racing and breeding enthusiast, came to Cambridge Stud after he had extended an invite a few years earlier while dining on the royal yacht.

One of the biggest names in the New Zealand thoroughbred racing and breeding industry, New Zealand Bloodstock supremo Sir Peter Vela remembers Hogan was one of the first people to guide him when he entered racing.

“That was 40 years ago and he was a legend even back then,” Vela says.

“He was always destined to be the best because he had great knowledge but always wanted to keep learning.

“He was an outstanding horseman but he had a skill a lot of people don’t, the ability to put knowledge into practice and make his ideas reality.

“Patrick was a remarkable man and very generous. Generous with his time, his knowledge and even financially generous.”

Hogan and his wife Lady Justine Hogan sold Cambridge Stud to Brendan and Jo Lindsay in 2017 and the Auckland couple have not only continued to grow the venue but opened a Heritage Centre on the complex so Hogan’s legacy was correctly documented.

“The news of Sir Patrick’s passing this morning leaves Jo and I with a great sense of sadness,” Brendan Lindsay says.

“We spent many hours with Sir Patrick following the sale of the stud and he was a regular visitor to the farm following the renovations.

“His insight and humour were obvious to us in those informal chats we enjoyed the time we spent together.

“We consider it a great honour to be allowed to continue the name Cambridge Stud that Sir Patrick and Lady Justine developed into a New Zealand icon for over 40 years.”

Hogan is survived by his wife, their two daughters Erin and Nicola, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

His impact on the Australasian thoroughbred industry will be felt as long as there are horses racing in this part of the world.