Racing rich-lister Colin McKenna’s widow launches legal action against $365 million estate

Warrnambool rich-lister and Group 1 winning racehorse owner Colin McKenna’s $365 million estate is being challenged by his widow who is seeking a larger slice of the fortune he left behind.

Janice McKenna, McKenna’s second wife, filed a claim against the executors of the estate, Alexander Egan, Dean McKenna, Kristyn Ackerman and Christopher Garrett, in the Supreme Court of Victoria on September 8.

McKenna, who died in October 2024 aged 74, built his fortune through The Midfield Group, a meat processing company he founded in 1975.

It remains one of Australia’s leading meat processing businesses. McKenna, a noted philanthropist, was a popular and generous figure in the Western Victoria community with a deep passion for horse racing.

He and Janice married in 2014, but were together for 26 years. He had four children, Kristyn, Dean, Brett and Stacey from his first marriage.

Through the action, filed under the Testators Family Maintenance List, Janice McKenna has claimed she was not adequately provided for in her husband’s will which was drawn up in 2021.

In an originating motion seen by CBD it is claimed she “has been left without adequate provision for her proper maintenance and support”.

In the court document, McKenna’s extensive estate was valued at $365,849,308.49 with liabilities of just over $21.5 million.

The legal action is asking that Janice receive “maintenance and support as this Honourable Court thinks fit be made out of the estate of the deceased”.

It is not detailed in the originating motion what further provisions are being sought from the estate.

Janice is represented by Sam Frey at KCL Law. The estate’s executors are represented by Coote Family Lawyers. Neither party wished to comment when contacted by CBD.

A great supporter of the racing industry, Colin McKenna’s most successful horses included Jameka, the winner of the 2015 VRC Oaks, the 2016 Caulfield Cup and The BMW in 2017, Merchant Navy, winner of the 2017 Coolmore Stud Stakes and 2018 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in the UK, and Regina Coeli, a two-time winner of the Grand Annual Steeplechase in Warrnambool.

He received an AM for his significant service to the community in 2021.

In August this year, Janice was crowned Victoria’s leading small breeder of the year by the Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria organisation, thanks to the success of last year’s Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winning galloper Half Yours.

Half Yours, which was bred by Janice and Colin at their farm at Woolsthorpe, also claimed the title as Victoria’s champion bred racehorse for the 2025-26 racing season.

Colin McKenna died before Half Yours realised his true staying potential.

Trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy bought Half Yours for $305,000 at the dispersal sale of his racing stock following McKenna’s death and the chestnut, ridden by Jamie Melham, went on to become only the 13th horse to complete the Cup double.

The horse is being aimed at the Melbourne Cup again this year and finished sixth in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington last Saturday at its first start for its spring campaign.

Torney’s crime forum cancelled

Independent candidate for Kew Sophie Torney found herself short one police officer for a community crime forum she planned to host on Wednesday night.

The former Boroondara mayor and current councillor had promoted a “Community Safety Forum” in Balwyn which would feature a Victoria Police senior constable to address locals on the latest crime stats and strategies to keep them safe. There was just one problem.

CBD understands the event was initially pitched to Victoria Police as a community forum being held by a local councillor. But when the constabulary realised Torney was also contesting the state seat of Kew at November’s election, the boys in blue pulled out.

Victoria Police confirmed to CBD that it had initially accepted the invitation.

“Once we became aware this was for an election candidate, Victoria Police withdrew its participation,” a spokesperson said.

“Victoria Police is an independent organisation, and it is especially important we remain so during an election period.”

While the event was cancelled, a spokesperson for Torney told CBD that crime and community safety remained a significant issue in Victoria.

“Sophie believed it would be of value to run a community safety forum. A local police officer agreed to present at the forum after obtaining approval from their sergeant.

“We are naturally disappointed that Victoria Police have since pulled out of the forum, forcing us to cancel this event but their reasons for doing so are a matter for them.”

But if Torney thought cancelling the forum would be the end of the matter, she was mistaken.

CBD has obtained a complaint lodged with the Local Government Inspectorate asking the watchdog to investigate whether Torney improperly used her position as a Boroondara councillor to promote and facilitate what the complainant claims was a state election campaign event.

The complainant, Boroondara resident and former councillor Jane Addis, has asked the watchdog to investigate whether Torney approached police in her capacity as a councillor without disclosing the event’s connection to her state campaign.

Torney’s team insist the initial invitation to police came from a member of her campaign team “signing off as Operations Manager, Sophie Torney for Kew”.

Watch this space.