There is nothing like winning for Corbett
By Rob Courtney
North Canterbury pig farmer Keith Corbett kicked around at school (Lincoln High School) with West Melton trainer Grant Payne and played in the same rugby league team. The ‘old mates’ teamed up again on Sunday when A Better Jackalack (2020 3 B g Betterthancheddar – Jackalack Sue) duly obliged at just his 3rd start at the Methven racecourse when made the race favourite in the hands of top Jnr driver Sam Thornley.
A Better Jackalack & connections at Methven (c) Race Images CHCH
“As you saw at Methven, he still has a bit to learn and is probably still a year away from being the complete package but its still a great feeling when you win,” enthused his winning connection.
Around 2010, fellow North Canterbury breeder John McKenzie persuaded Corbett to take on Scara Brae (from the Classiebawn family of Wally Ireland) and to Elsu she left Jackalack Sue (partly named after his wife) who, first with Coaster Howe, then with Robbie Holmes, won a total of 8 races.
A Better Jackalack is her 2nd foal and 2nd winner for Corbett & another good mate from Lincoln High in Grant Davis.
Her first foal, He’s A Jackalack, has won the 3 races to date and is accepted to start midweek at Addington for new trainer & part owner Robin Thornley after initially also being with Payne.
“He hasn’t raced since July and we are going to the races instead of the trials,” Corbett explained.
Corbett & Davis have a rising 2yo filly by Captain Crunch who Payne really likes and her owners are confident she will be forward enough to race at 2. Simply called Jackalack, she is due in for her 3rd prep anytime soon.
Unfortunately, that will be the last of ‘Sue’s’ progeny as approximately 6 months ago she & another horse got out onto the road when a gate was left open and she was fatally struck by a car.
The other horse was Maddisons Desire (Real Desire – Maddison Bay) and after winning 5 races for the Corbett/Davis breeding partnership left her only foal last season, a colt by Vincent, who is going to Sam Thornley for his early education.
Corbett has 7 horses on the ‘books’. Beat The Covid (The Pres – Beat Me Now) won 2 races quite early in her career (including 1 at Methven) but according to her part owner that success probably didn’t help her career.
“It got quite tough quite quickly due to her winning those 2 races and her form subsequently fell away. We are undecided at this time whether to press on or breed her,” Corbett shared.
Unashamedly, Corbett confesses to getting a real kick out of harness racing. Of the positive things that are currently going on within the industry, he especially likes the opportunities being given to those horses that are not your ‘classic’ horses or age group stars.
“Our breed seems to go well on the grass and you can’t beat a day out at a Canterbury country meeting. And if you manage to win a race, that makes it even better !”
For Keith Corbett, A Better Jackalack could be that horse that keeps the winning theme going.