Rowe On Monday – A capital decision leads to Slipper bid, Kia Ora continues Krishnan’s legacy and George Ryder winner farewells racing

Canberra youngster takes on heavyweights in Slipper

Twenty years after the Corkhills had a Golden Slipper runner, the long-time Canberra family is returning to Sydney – and this time they believe they have a genuine chance in the world’s richest two-year-old race.

Emphatic Black Opal Stakes winner Music Time, carrying the hopes of Tom Corkhill, his father Brian and extended family, will be paid up for the Golden Slipper, one of what is expected to be three late nominations for the race..

It’s a $150,000 punt Corkhill believes is worth taking, with the Gratz Vella-trained Music Time considered a $34 chance on the back of his three straight wins, all at Canberra, culminating in his strong on-pace Black Opal performance.

Music Time’s growing support crew of 37 family and friends – and many more who have adopted the national capital’s top two-year-old as one of their own – have already made plans to be at Rosehill on March 21.

Such is the fan club Music Time has quickly amassed that the Australian Turf Club has set aside a dedicated area at Rosehill to accommodate punters from Canberra. The racing club is also operating a bus from Thoroughbred Park to Rosehill this weekend. 

The Corkhills are revelling in the experience that Music Time has provided them, having joined their racing portfolio last year at a cost of $45,000 from the Inglis Classic sale, providing breeder Greg Perry with another “good horse”.

“Generally speaking, we breed to race, but from time to time, via Gratz, we go to the sales, not necessarily the main sales, but the second and third tier sales, and spend modestly. We’ve had some luck over the years (doing it that way),” Tom Corkhill told The Straight.

“And in terms of the ownership group, we’ve family and we had one of my father’s very close friends, Jim Munro, who was sort of leading the racing management side of it, and he passed away a number of years ago and I stepped into the breach, but my father’s still going strong at 90 and he’ll be making the trip up the highway. 

“So, I think at this stage, we’ve got a team of 37 going up, so logistically that’s providing a couple of challenges at the moment, but we’ll get there.”

Two decades ago, Vella and the Corkhills’ One Time started 300-1 in the 2006 Golden Slipper, finishing 15th, 11 lengths adrift of champion filly Miss Finland at Rosehill, but in 2026 the Corkhills and Vella have a considerably better chance in the $5 million race.

“Back in those days, if you finished first or second in the Black Opal, you got a golden ticket (into the Slipper). 

“We’ve been with Gratz for a very, very long time and it’s a great relationship.” 

Frenchman Pierre Boudvillain, whose decision to follow trainer Danielle Seib from Goulburn to Canberra last year helped him land the ride on “the best horse” Vella has trained, will also retain the mount on Music Time.

Patriarch Brian Corkhill still goes to work at 6.30am each day at the family’s landscaping supplies business, which was founded in the mid-1950s, with the form guide often the first thing he reads.

The family, through its property business, Riverview Group, is also in the process of constructing four new suburbs on a greenfield site at Ginninderry, west of Belconnen, in partnership with the ACT government.

The Corkhills’ business success has allowed them to defy the changing landscape (no pun intended) of Australian racehorse ownership, breeding and racing their horses outright, and resisting the temptation to take smaller percentages with syndicates and with multiple trainers.

“We have some horses in training, there’s a few spelling, we have a couple of foals, and Gratz’s just gone out and bought a new horse at the Inglis sales (by Harry Angel),” Corkhill said. 

“Probably, when you add all that up, we have close to 15 in the various stages of racing. When you think about it in terms of a single owner, it has its challenges from a financial perspective.

“But, with Gratz, we’re able to sort of get some results along the way, which eases the burden.

“We’re very happy to play in that little circle and race around Canberra and districts and when we do get an opportunity, we’ll head to Sydney, which is also great.”

It’s not just any race they’re heading to Sydney for, either. 

Warwoven crucial to Kia Ora’s future

When Kia Ora owner Ananda Krishnan died in November 2024, there were understandably questions about the longer-term future of the Hunter Valley stud’s racing and breeding interests.

Malaysian billionaire Krishnan had put plans in place that would allow it to continue after his death, but it still required good management – and more than a few decent horses.

In the 15 months or so since the Kia Ora owner died, the stud has unearthed Oakleigh Plate-winning stallion Tropicus and now it has two live chances in the Golden Slipper.

Homebred Prague filly Pembrey won her way into the Slipper (if Kia Ora pays the late entry fee) via the Magic Night on Saturday and a race later Warwoven cemented his place in the race via the Pago Pago.

Warwoven, who races in the Cunningham family’s silks and is third favourite for the race, shapes as an important horse for Kia Ora.

If he can win the Golden Slipper, or another major Group 1, the son of Sword Of State would have a home on the roster a Kia Ora.

Marketing-wise, and it’s arguable, the Coolmore Stud Stakes for three-year-olds can project a colt’s value to similar heights; there is no greater race than the Slipper for sending a horse’s stud appeal soaring. 

It’s a team effort and it extends beyond the management of Shane Wright and racing manager Luke Wilkinson, but they deserve commendation for what Kia Ora has achieved in recent times.

There’s also Guy Edwards, a behind-the-scenes but integral figure at Kia Ora who ensures the balance sheet adds up. 

A dual-state Group 1 double on Saturday would also help. 

Gelding gamble doesn’t pay off but no Veight regrets

Veight’s career came to an end after trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy determined retirement was the best course of action for the Group 1-winning five-year-old following a below-par performance on Saturday.

The son of Grunt, who ran second in a Caulfield Guineas and won a George Ryder at Group 1 level, has been a big winner all around for connections.

He was a $100,000 weanling for Sledmere Stud and Cangon Stud who was resold for $300,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Sale to the McEvoys and Belmont Bloodstock.

He went on to win $2.1 million in 19 starts for owners that included Pipeliner Bloodstock’s Wayne Mitchell, Sledmere’s Roy and Treen Murphy and Telemon Thoroughbreds’ Dan Fletcher.

There were also stud offers with Veight strongly linked to Tasmania but what the owners wanted and what the most likely suitor was prepared to pay were two different things.

Connections thought they could win more on the track than off it, so they gelded Veight. 

It didn’t quite work out as they’d hoped with his career finalised after finishing well back in a VOBIS race at Caulfield, but it’s hard to think there would be any regrets.

Any owner would take what Veight has provided them if offered at the time they bought him four years ago.