Leading international owner Paul Makin has died at the age of 82.

The Sydney born Australian businessman, who dispersed the majority of his international racing and breeding interests in 2013, was renowned for his punting prowess and enjoyed worldwide success with his horses winning more than 700 races.

A highlight was the success he enjoyed with his New Zealand-bred champion Starcraft.

Trained by Queenslander Gary Newham, Starcraft won the 2004 AJC Australian Derby at Randwick before racing in the UK and Europe.

Trained at Newmarket by Luca Cumani, Starcraft won the G1 Prix du Moulin and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes before a successful stud career.

Starcraft’s products include the G1 winner and sire Star Witness and dual G1 winner We Can Say It Now.

Makin, racing under his Waratah Thoroughbreds banner, also owned G1 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita.

A daughter of Montjeu, Chicquita was sold at Makin’s ‘Paulyn’ bloodstock dispersal of 25 horses in Ireland by Goffs in 2013 for €6 million. Other mares sold by Makin in the dispersal included including Authorized’s dam Funsie (Saumarez) and G1 July Cup winner Fleeting Spirit (Invincible Spirit).

In 2015 he purchased a first crop filly by Frankel out of the dual Guineas winner Finsceal Beo (Mr Greeley) as a foal at Goffs for 1.8 milion euros and more recently stood the G1 winner Marcel, a son of Lawman, at stud in the UK.

Makin renewed his racing interests in Australia in 2016 when he set up a stable at the Gold Coast under Gary Newham.

Newham said of Makin at the time: “Paul is one of those guys you know you’ll have no money worries, he’s fantastic to work for.

“He likes to have his input. He has his ideas — but you can talk to him about it all and he’s always good about it.

“He’s a smart businessman, they don’t become millionaires because they’re mugs.”

Makin and his wife Lyndal lived for many years in Hong Kong before retiring to the Gold Coast. In 2016 they moved to a $4 million property at Byron Bay on the NSW north coast.