Passion and love of the horse key to longevity

After 38 years in the engine room of the well-oiled machine that is Cambridge Stud, Marcus Corban has seen and experienced almost every high and low there is with horses.

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But nothing could prepare him for the darkest day in the famed New Zealand stud’s long and illustrious history last week when valuable and much loved shuttle stallion Roaring Lion died after a deadly bout of colic.

“I’m not a sook or one to show much emotion but the Roaring Lion death has blown me away,” said Marcus.

“Losing Zabeel I could handle because he died naturally. We tried so many things with him (Roaring Lion) that worked and then to lose him was terrible.

“With what he went through I cannot imagine any other horse doing what he did.”

Roaring Lion fought for his life just like a lion right until the very end and his eventual passing deeply saddened the many people who were associated with him as a racehorse and stallion.

It was less than 48 hours after the tragedy when I interviewed Marcus for this story and he was busy preparing to host a stallion parade for 250 guests that afternoon.

“You can’t dwell, you have to move forward,” he said.

New chapter for Cambridge Stud

With the breeding season about to begin, the show must go on at the iconic thoroughbred nursery which is also in the midst of a huge redevelopment phase being led by its passionate new owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay.

“The way Brendan and Jo have handled the death of Roaring Lion has been unbelievable. Brendan gave a very emotional speech to staff which was from the heart. They have a real passion and drive to make Cambridge better.”

Marcus admits to having felt nervous about his future there when they first took over the ownership from Sir Patrick Hogan in April last year.

“I found it very hard because of the unexpected, not knowing what Brendan and Jo were going to be like. Once you have been in a one-man institution like Cambridge was, I was scared and nervous about what they were going to do and how I would react to it.

“It’s been a big change for me, it’s been incredible.”

Marcus now holds the key position of General Manager at Cambridge Stud. A wise appointment by the Lindsays considering the integral role he’s played in its success story for close to 40 years.

Learning from the best

During that time he learned a lifetime worth of horsemanship and tricks of the trade from one of the shrewdest operators in the global breeding industry.

Sir Patrick entrusted Marcus to run Cambridge for 25 years, a big responsibility for someone who admits he still had plenty to learn when he first started out in the industry.

“I was not a natural brilliant horseman but what I have learnt from him and the systems and eye for detail is amazing. He was methodical. 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, if it had to be done, it was done.”

Marcus was introduced to racing and breeding by his uncle Harry Skinner who was a trainer at Avondale. As a teenager, he helped Harry out by taking horses down to the track for him.

When Harry died, a chance meeting at his funeral set Marcus on the path to a long and successful stud farm career.

“Barney Myers was there and put me in touch with Jim Shannon and I soon started at Waikato Stud when Nelson Bunker Hunt owned it.”

From the age of 18, Marcus was working full-time at Waikato Stud and has fond memories of those days that ignited his passion working with horses.

“Waikato was such a beautiful farm and to get up in the morning and walk around the property like that with mares and foals gave me a positive vibe about working and I have never lost that urge.”

Early on in his career Marcus made the choice to explore the international world of racing and breeding and had a stint working in Ireland and also spent time working at Gainesway Farm in the US which he particularly enjoyed.

“I loved America. Over there I buddied up with the likes of Peter Orton, Tim Ferriss, Paul Shanahan and Hubie de Burgh. I made very good contacts with guys that have been friends ever since. That was a really good stepping stone for me.”

Back home Marcus also worked for a period at Field House Stud under David Benjamin, whom he described as a “real go-getter”. During that time he always kept a close eye on what was going on over at Cambridge.

The job of a lifetime

“Cambridge was next to us and in those days it was like an army camp. I thought 'this guy is going to go somewhere'.

“They were the first farm to have uniforms and one of the first farms to have an entertainment area. Patrick was a real showman.”

Eventually, a local blacksmith by the name of Laurie Lynch helped set up a meeting between Marcus and Sir Patrick which led to the opportunity of a lifetime.

“I drove out to Cambridge and he said you can start on this day and the rest is history.”

Together Marcus and Sir Patrick took Cambridge to unprecedented heights with one of their proudest achievements being the only stud farm in history to top the Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale all in the same year.

They also shared the heady days with champion stallions Sir Tristram (Ire) and his son Zabeel (NZ). Marcus got to know both horses like the back of his hand.

“Zabeel was an incredible animal. He had his ups and downs and I remember he kicked out at the end of a breeding season and cut his flexor tendon. He lived in a box for six weeks. A lot of stallions wouldn't get over that and he also had fertility issues that we fixed with treatment.

"He also had laminitis in his 20s and for an older stallion to show the guts and determination he had was amazing.”

He isn't so warm in his words to describe Sir Tristram, a horse that taught him plenty about the challenging and the dangerous side of managing certain stallions.

“He was a grumpy old coot. You couldn't be in a box with him. You could never trust him and had to catch him over a gate. If he had been anywhere else people would probably not have coped but we worked out systems on how to handle it so that he couldn't get us."

"You needed to take your time. He took bits of skin off people - he got me once, but at the end of the day it wasn't life-threatening.”

Marcus worked alongside Sir Patrick every single day and during the journey developed his own unique strengths as a horseman.

“I love foaling mares and in the end, I was one of only a few that he would let foal his mares.

“I did have a good knack for foaling I learned myself, however a lot of the systems - like how you manage a sick foal - were very much instilled by the way he ran things.”

To this day, it’s still his favourite part of the job.

“When they are born and sitting on the ground and the mares are there, that is what I love. Then the foal gets up and wanders around - it gives purpose to what you have done for the past year. Seeing them in good health gives you really good job satisfaction.”

One horse he foaled down that would go on to become a champion racehorse and stallion was Octagonal (Zabeel) (NZ).

“He was a real cruiser. He was one of those horses, he was so relaxed. I always remember him for in those days Eight Carat was the queen of the farm because Patrick had paid so much for her from Robert Sangster. He had a great attitude.

“Then I remember when the Inghams looked at him at the sales. They never gave much away, but I remember old Jack loved him.”

Mentoring young talent

While many famous horses have been linked to Cambridge Stud, many well-known people have also spent time inside the gates there too. Such was the respect for the farm and its leaders that anyone serious about furthering their career would go there to work at some stage.

Marcus says mentoring young racing talent has always been a great passion of his.

“I love mentoring young people, Patrick did that with me when I first started. I have always been big on that.

“I have had some great people that have come through such as James Cummings, Mike Fleming, Vicky Leonard and Antony Thompson. I get a lot out of seeing these people go on and be successful.”

Mike Fleming credits the guidance of Marcus to making the move to Cambridge Stud, which eventually led to taking an opportunity in the Hunter Valley and establishing Bhima Thoroughbreds.

"If it wasn't for Marcus I wouldn't have gone to Cambridge Stud in the first place," said Fleming. "What I learned from Marcus in those four years allowed me to develop the horsemanship skills and management experience to set up on my own."

"Marcus is a wonderful judge of a horse and a very gifted horseman. If I was ever in trouble with a foaling, there is no other person in the world I would want in the paddock with me - he's a genius when it comes to thinking clearly in a stressful situation."

TDN AusNZ's Vicky Leonard also credits Marcus for having a major role in shaping her career.

"Marcus was my first boss in the industry and the person who opened my eyes to the amazing career opportunities available globally," Leonard recalls. "He encouraged me to think big and gain experience from the best in the world."

"Marcus has been a wonderful mentor and friend for well over a decade now, and is still someone I rely on for honest feedback and advice. I know he has had this impact on the careers of many in the industry."

A survivor in a tough and ruthless industry, Marcus passes on the advice he has heeded himself to anyone that asks for it.

“I tell them to always look to see who is going to be the next big person in the industry and that’s how I chose Patrick. You have got to open your mind and see who is doing things.

“Look forward, don’t look back, and strive for perfection and look to the farms that are going to go ahead like Arrowfield, Newgate, Coolmore, Yulong and Woodside. There are plenty of opportunities if you want to target them.”

But above all that, Marcus says passion and a love of the horse is the key to success and they were the endearing qualities that shone through in the way that he handled recent events with Roaring Lion.

“If you don’t have that passion, well, you can’t be successful. I’m there all the time. I am not a workaholic but I don’t miss much and make sure the horse gets the best of everything,” he said.