Eight acre property packs in a lot for horsy types

Fontstown in Athy, Co Kildare, is the property of former jockey Liam Cusack and Jane Tiffin, who have run a very successful business from their residential premises.

They provide livery, prepare horses for sale, do some training and offer spa treatments for young and injured horses at Fontstown Stud. However, the eight-acre property is no longer large enough for their purposes. The couple have bought a larger, 80-acre holding in the vicinity and are putting Fontstown up for sale.

Considering how close to Dublin this property is, the guide price of €1 million seems reasonable enough.

That price includes a sleek, modern bungalow with 2,000 square feet of space, and a spotless yard.

The property is immaculately kept and, while compact for a professional enterprise, includes a lot of top-level fixtures.

The yard has 27 loose boxes, an auto walker, sand arena, two hydrotherapy spas, and a 2.25 furlong sand-and-fibre gallop.

The main house is attractively set at the end of a paddocked driveway, and has a simple, minimal finish.

Gleaming wooden floors, lots of light and a range of reception rooms all add up to a modern property for the upper-end buyer. The rooms include living and dining rooms, a kitchen with range of units, separate utility room and four double bedrooms, along with a full master suite and main bathroom.

The land is level and sound, laid out in three paddocks, all post and rail-fenced. The property is nine miles from Kilcullen, seven miles from Athy, and is close to the M7 and the N9 interchange.

The sale is by private treaty and the auctioneer expects interest from those involved in equestrian activities.