Goulburn hosts a seven-race card on Monday and local trainer Scotty Collings will be hoping history can repeat itself.
Collings trained a winner on the corresponding program almost twelve months to the day (9th July 2021) and has a strong chance of doing so again this year with late bloomer Master Joe.
Master Joe ($2.50 TAB) goes around in Race 5, The Goulburn Soldiers Club Maiden Plate over 1000m and has already raised an eyebrow or two despite only having just set out on his racing journey.
The son of a Magic Millions winner (Unencumbered), Master Joe posted two slick trial wins in the autumn. Collings has since been pleased with the he four-year-old’s output under some genuine race day pressure, returning to the runner-up stall at his first two starts.
“I thought his first two runs were super runs, especially his last run being a provincial meeting at Goulburn,” Collings offered.
Nick Heywood takes the seat again and Collings was positive about the hoop’s feedback after his latest effort at home on a heavy surface.
“He thought he ran really well, the horse has just got to learn how to put it away. He has come through his last run well”
Collings also highlighted why it’s been a ‘one step at a time’ journey to get Master Joe to debut at age four.
“The horse got hurt as a three-year-old out in in the paddock.”
Like many racetrack newbies of late the horse has done all his public work on soft or heavy tracks and finds more of the same on Monday with Goulburn currently rated a Heavy 8.
Collings has been going about his business with a reassured stable build over the past twelve months and now has twenty-three horses now on the books.
Since the start of June Collings has notched a win and another six minor placings (including four seconds!) from fifteen starters.
Photo: Bradley Photos
