John Sadler says his split with leviathan owner Lloyd Williams is amicable but he will delay a decision about pursuing his career as a trainer until next year.Sadler left Macedon Lodge on Monday morning after he addressed staff in the presence of Williams and his son Nick."It was quite amicable and all is OK and we will move on," Sadler said."Nothing lasts forever and it was time for a change for me and for Lloyd."Robert Hickmott, a long-time employee of Williams, is Sadler's replacement.Sadler

John Sadler says his split with leviathan owner Lloyd Williams is amicable but he will delay a decision about pursuing his career as a trainer until next year.

Sadler left Macedon Lodge on Monday morning after he addressed staff in the presence of Williams and his son Nick.

"It was quite amicable and all is OK and we will move on," Sadler said.

"Nothing lasts forever and it was time for a change for me and for Lloyd."

Robert Hickmott, a long-time employee of Williams, is Sadler's replacement.

Sadler has been part of the Williams team for just under four years, initially engaged in Melbourne as the assistant trainer to Graeme Rogerson before taking control in November 2007.

Sadler said there were signs earlier this year his partnership with Williams was coming to an end.

"It is a fairly intense job working with Lloyd," Sadler said.

"Three of the four years were very good and very successful but the last nine months probably hasn't been quite as good."

During Sadler's time, highlights included Efficient's wins in the 2007 Melbourne Cup and 2006 Victoria Derby and Gallic's Adelaide and Sydney Cup wins in 2007.

Sadler was also proud of the fact that Williams' seven runners in the past four Melbourne Cups all earned prizemoney down to 10th.

"We had a win (Efficient), a third (C'est La Guerre, 2008), two fourths (Zipping (2006-08) and the other three finished in the top ten," Sadler said.

Sadler's first official winner as the trainer for Williams' operation was Zipping in the 2007 Sandown Classic.

The gelding won the race again last year and is a chance to make it three wins on Saturday.

Zipping was also second to Maldivian in the 2008 Cox Plate and this year was third behind three-year-olds So You Think and Manhattan Rain.

Sadler's last big success for the stable was last month when Efficient charged to Melbourne Cup favouritism with a barnstorming victory in the Group One Turnbull Stakes.

However the grey was scratched from the Cup for the second year in a row with a recurrence of an old injury while Zipping also missed the Cup after he got trapped under the barriers and was scratched from the Mackinnon Stakes on Derby Day.

That left C'est La Guerre to run for the stable and he finished eighth.

Sadler has varied his career since establishing himself as one of as one of Victoria's leading trainers in the 1990s and had successful stints in Dubai and Singapore before joining the Williams operation at Flemington.

Last year the stable was relocated to Mount Macedon.

Sadler said he still had a passion for training racehorses but was unsure whether he would go back to it.

"Nothing is set in stone as yet," Sadler said.

"I want to have a bit of a break now and have a think about it.

"I haven't finished my working career, I can assure you of that, but I am not going to say I am definitely going to train again."

Sadler said he would take an extended holiday to incorporate his son's wedding in New York early next year before making a decision about his future.

Hickmott, 40, follows Sadler, Myles Plumb and Brad Marzato as private trainers for Williams.

The son of South Australia-based trainer John Hickmott, Hickmott's brother Michael is also a trainer and has trained the winners of two of the past three Darwin Cups.