Melbourne Cup 2019: Part-owner Geoff Corrigan to take trophy on school visit
Geoff Corrigan, the part-owner of Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare, plans to take the most prized trophy in Australian sport to show-and-tell at his grandchildren’s primary school.
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Geoff Corrigan, the part-owner of Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare, plans to take the most prized trophy in Australian sport to his grandchildren’s primary school on the Gold Coast on Thursday.
“They have their grandparents’ day on Thursday (at school) and I imagine the Melbourne Cup will be making a show and tell,” he said.
Corrigan, a former NSW politician who is based in Camden, is central to the Vow And Declare story.
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At the Sydney Easter Sales five years ago, trainer Danny O’Brien had just bought a horse for $70,000 when Corrigan introduced himself and asked if he could buy into the horse.
“I had fallen in love with the horse at the yearling sale,” Corrigan said.
Corrigan became part of a syndicate of owners that included breeder Paul Lanksey, who raced Lycurgus, who has so far won six of his 37 races, earning more than $400,000.
Raise a glass to this guy, Australia. Paul Lanskey bred VOW AND DECLARE, offered it at #InglisClassic through the draft of @KitchwinHills and today he WON THE MELBOURNE CUP!! Congrats Paul. You. Are. A. Star. 👌 pic.twitter.com/SD9CwPEFI6
— Inglis (@inglis_sales) November 5, 2019
So, when Lycurgus’s half-brother Vow And Declare went through the Inglis Sales, Lanksey, who owned the mother Geblitzt, put a reserve of $60,000 on the horse by shuttle stallion Declaration of War, the sire of last Saturday’s Victoria Derby winner Warning.
When the yearling was passed in for just $45,000, Lanksey rang the Lycurgus ownership group to get the band back together. Corrigan wanted in along with Stuart Knipe and Stuart Livingstone.
Corrigan is the majority shareholder and said there was never any question who would train Vow And Declare.
At the time, Danny O’Brien was embroiled in the cobalt scandal for which he has subsequently been completely exonerated but Corrigan had faith in the trainer.
“It was a difficult time for Danny but he had to let the process take place,’’ Corrigan said.
“What was happening to Danny in Melbourne wasn’t front page news in Sydney so it was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster as we had this horse.
“But I always find you treat people on how you find them.
“You judge their character and I have always thought Danny was a good bloke – he’s even better now!”
THE HORSE
Grand plans for Cup victor
Vow And Declare will be aimed at another Melbourne Cup next year — and then he may take on the world.
Trainer Danny O’Brien and part-owner Geoff Corrigan want to set Vow And Declare for the Ascot Gold Cup over 4000m at Royal Ascot but those ambitions are on hold for now.
“He’s still a very young horse, he’s only just turned four and I think he will get as he gets older,’’ O’Brien said.
“But I would suspect we will try to get back here next year and try to win the Cup again.
“He is a horse that isn’t going to fulfil his potential under 3200m. He needs 3200m to show his best and I think he’s a horse that could run 4000m.’’
Corrigan agrees that Vow And Declare is “too young” to go overseas next year.
“This horse will just keep going in his races and to get his ‘best’ he would have to go for the Ascot Gold Cup but that would be a couple of years away,’’ Corrigan said.
“What I would love to do is go to Ascot and show them that Australian stayers are just as good as the British horses.’’
There are only five multiple Melbourne Cup winners – Makybe Diva (2003-04-05), Think Big (1974-75), Rain Lover (1968-69), Peter Pan (1932, 1934) and Archer (1861-62) – but Vow And Declare has already been installed by TAB Fixed Odds price assessors as the $18 co-favourite with Il Paradiso to win the 2020 Melbourne Cup.
O’Brien described Vow And Declare as the “perfect specimen” for the Melbourne Cup.
“This horse has the right genetic make-up,’’ the trainer said. “He has the heart and lungs so we can work him for staying distances.
“We saw that today because he just kept surging when those other horses came at him.
“He did it on Oaks Day last year, he did it in the Queensland Derby albeit he didn’t win, and he did it again today.
“I’ve got to say I thought about 100m out he was going to run a nice third or fourth which would have been a bit disappointing to come so close to winning but he just doesn’t give up.
“On the line I thought he had won but it’s all a bit surreal.’’
Originally published as Melbourne Cup 2019: Part-owner Geoff Corrigan to take trophy on school visit
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