The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.
Excerpt from poem, My Country written by Dorothea MacKellar on Torryburn.
The recorded history of Torryburn stretches from it’s 1825 land grant during the convict era through to its early development as a tobacco plantation and home to one of Australia’s most decorated poets Dorothea Mackellar. Mackellar lived at Torryburn for several years where she gained her inspiration to pen the words to Australia’s most famous poem. The following 190 odd years since settlement have seen it further develop into an incredibly beautiful and productive thoroughbred nursery and racehorse spelling farm.
Torryburn was purchased by John Cornish over 15 years ago. A man of ideas and actions, he has been closely involved in the racing industry on many levels for several decades. Cornish’s involvement in the industry increased in 2011 when he took on the Chairmanship of the Australian Turf Club – the newly created body born out of the merger the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club (ATC). He was effectively the last chairman of the Australian Jockey Club & Sydney Turf Club and the first president of ATC.
Mr. Cornish built his award-winning property business from ground-up, starting at the age of 14. Eventually, his profession helped him also deliver professional multi-purpose Randwick racecourse buildings to attract a younger audience. The landmark buildings are built on 220 acres of land which is about 5 – 6 kilometers from Sydney’s CBD.
Torryburn is run under strong management by people who are horse lovers, many of whom live on the estate. He firmly believes he is a custodian of Australian history and his family are now heavily involved in the business and the future of the farm has been well planned for.
He believes, racing, breeding & wagering (the three industries normally associated with racing) is stronger than ever in Australia with prize money over AUS$ 100,000 upwards for black type races. The high prize money attracts several top international owners.
Mr. Cornish is excited about the Australian thoroughbred breeding industry becoming a top exporter to countries developing an international race program like Japan and China who is on the cusp of allowing wagering on racing in mainland China. With HKJC in close proximity, once wagering is opened, it is expected to open a lot of sales opportunities for breeders. Mr. Cornish firstly believes, Australia will be the first port of call for such future owners.
Torryburn’s own breeding operation has stepped up a notch over the past few years with the addition of several well performed and well-bredmares added to the broodmare band. Subtle changes to the feeding program and farm improvements are all contributing factors that has seen recent success for Torryburn Stud beginning to be reflected through sensational results in the sale ring as well as on the track.
“The racehorses are performing consistently and are really delivering on a regular basis in black type races”, said Cornish who witnessed The Pinnacle, born and bred at Torryburn and trained by Snowden Racing take out the Group 3 Epona Stakes on Golden Slipper Day last Saturday.
Just a couple of weeks prior, Dixie Blossoms, also born and raised on the farm claimed the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes at Randwick, her fourth Group win and increasing her prizemoney to just under $1M. The connections have great aspirations for both mares coming into the Autumn Racing Carnival and again in Spring.
Torryburn bred horses are absolutely excelling in Asia with the farm also celebrating another winner in Hong Kong over the weekend with Baltic Whisper (Charge Forward x Le Sillage) destroying a 1000m field by over 4 lengths at Sha Tin for trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing.
Torryburn homebreds have won 11 races in Hong Kong over the last twelve months with budding superstar Hot King Prawn (Denman x DeChorus) the flag bearer.
Torryburn Stud will offer a small draft of quality yearlings at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April. The draft includes progeny of some extremely well performed race mares including a three-quarter relation to multiple group winner Deploy by Arrowfield Stud sire Smart Missile. This is the sixth colt for Crimson Reign with Deploy her most notable to date being the current track record holder at Randwick over 1200m and Rosehill over 1300m.
Widden Stud’s well performing young sire Your Song will be represented in the Torryburn Stud draft by a half brother to Hong Kong sensation Hot King Prawn. Like his outstanding brother, the grey colt is strong and striking with a super temperament and fantastic walk. “He has thrown equally to both parents but you can see the strength and bone of Your Song prominently coming through”, Torryburn’s Stud Manager Melissa Copelin commented. “This combined with the scope and colour of his Unbridled’s Song dam De Chorus makes him a striking type”, she said.
Another that Copelin has high hopes for is a colt by top sire I Am Invincible out of Utopia (NZ) – dam of G1 South Australian Derby winner Volatile Mix. “This colt has true star quality that is becoming instantly recognisable when viewing the progeny of his outstanding sire”, Melissa said. “He has the looks and pedigree to attract those seeking a stallion proposition and should be highly sought after”, she continued.
The historical significance and beauty of Torryburn Stud is not lost on the Cornish Family who see themselves as custodians of the property. Their vision for growth and results driven success will no doubt lead to further success on the track and in the sale ring.