Winning Post - Western Victoria: Half Yours helps Janice to a banner year

Western Victoria: Half Yours helps Janice to a banner year

By Tim Auld, August 3, 2026 - 2:34 PM

Woolsthorpe-based Janice McKenna scooped the pool at the annual Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria awards in Melbourne last Saturday night.

For the second year in a row McKenna was crowned Victoria’s leading small breeder, thanks largely to the wins of Half Yours in the Caulfield and Melbourne cups. Half Yours was also named champion Victorian-bred racehorse for 2025/26.

La Gazelle, the deceased dam of Half Yours, was named Victoria’s champion broodmare while Flying Done, also bred by McKenna, was the VOBIS horse of the year after winning at Warrnambool, Sandown and Flemington as a three-year-old for Matthew Williams.

McKenna set up the breeding operation in 2003 with husband Colin, who died in October 2024.

“I would like to thank Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria for this wonderful recognition,” she said.

“Colin would have been thrilled with the awards we’ve won. He was a great supporter of Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria.

“Half Yours has given us so many memorable moments, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see him acknowledged among so many outstanding Victorian-bred horses.

“Breeding a good horse is never the work of one person, and Colin and I have been very grateful to everyone who has contributed to our success.

“I’ve got to give a special mention to Sophie Negre. Sophie has been with us for 16 years and done an outstanding job.

“And I can’t forget Geoff Herrmann. He’s been a great help over the last couple of years.

“I’ll always remember (Mount Gambier trainer) Michael O’Leary and the late Barbara Marshman, who offered amazing support in our early years.”

McKenna said La Gazelle, who was winless in her five race starts, provided the foundation of the family’s breeding operation.

“It’s amazing to see her recognised in the same year that her son Half Yours has been named champion Victorian-bred racehorse.”

For a second time, Swettenham Stud’s Toronado was named the champion Victorian sire.

Toronado had 167 winners of 296 races and $12,963,252 in 2025/26, placing 10th on the sires premiership by earnings, third by winners and first by wins.

Lincoln luckless

Underrated Tower Hill jumper Mr Lincoln can be considered unlucky not to have won the $100,000 Crisp Steeplechase at Sandown last Sunday.

Mr Lincoln, ridden by Cillin Leonard, was beaten a nose by Sing For Peace in the Crisp.

Stewards found Leonard guilty of failing to ride out Mr Lincoln to the end of the race, handing him a 13-race suspension. The stewards were of the opinion Leonard’s actions affected the result of the Crisp.

Trainer Chris Ryan said the eight-year-old jumper would be set for the $350,000 Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) at Ballarat on Sunday week, August 16.

“I thought it was a great run,” Ryan said. “With an ounce of luck we could have won but that’s racing.

“We’re looking forward to the Grand National. He should appreciate the 4500 metres.

“I’d love to get a soft-to-heavy track. He seems to like that sort of track, rather than a bottomless bog.”

Queen reigns again

Symon Wilde will consider lifting the bar to Saturday class for Queen Christine after the lightly raced mare’s impressive win in the $50,000 Sportsbet BlackBook Handicap (1200m) for fillies and mares at the Sandown meeting.

Queen Christine ($2.30 favourite) won by two lengths under Linda Meech, on the back of a six-length victory on a bog track at Warrnambool in July.

“We might have another midweek start but it’s in the back of my mind she could be up to mares class on a Saturday,” Wilde said.

Elsewhere on the card, Wilde was happy with Hit The Road Jack’s effort to run third in the Crisp Steeplechase.

“He had a short break (following second placings in the Grand Annual and Brierly steeplechases at Warrnambool in May),” he said.

“He’s a tough horse. He would have finished closer in the Crisp if he hadn’t hit one of the fences at the top of the hill.”

Hit The Road Jack is another Crisp runner headed for Sunday week’s Grand National.

More joy for Jacko

First-season jumper Andy Win gave Warrnambool trainer Shane Jackson a second straight win in the $250,000 Grand National Hurdle at the Sandown meeting.

With Tom Ryan in the saddle, Andy Win ($3) was too strong for the Ciaron Maher-trained Ardakan in the 4200-metre marathon.

He may switch to the bigger fences for Sunday week’s Grand National Steeple at Ballarat.

Jackson trained Highland Blaze to win the 2025 Grand National Hurdle.

Black-booker

Darkbonee: could have been a shade unlucky running second over 1410 metres at Flemington last Saturday. Jumped from a wide barrier and looked to be held up at a vital stage. He’ll be improved with that first-up run under his belt and can be followed with confidence.