Hobby trainer hopes to strike gold at Ipswich

By Glenn Davis

Hobby trainer Brent Gray was a coal miner in a past life and is hoping to strike gold when he heads to Ipswich on Wednesday.

Gray leases lightly-raced mare Evelyn May who lines up for only her ninth start in the Benchmark 68 Handicap over 1666 metres.

A five-year-old daughter of Sacred Falls, Evelyn May is coming off a last start seventh to the Tony Gollan-trained Great Aspirations in a 1600 metre Benchmark race at Doomben on November 15.

It was her first start since winning an 1820 metre Benchmark race at Doomben in September which followed her maiden victory at Ipswich 10 days earlier.

“Her last run wasn’t too bad when she was beaten just over three lengths and it was her first run in about six weeks,” Gray said.

“She just needed the run, so I think she’ll go close to winning this time.”

Gray’s wife Virginia races Evelyn May in partnership with Andrew Baddock who holds a 20% interest in her.

“She was originally trained in Sydney by John O’Shea before she broke down,” Gray said.

“She went through a digital sale and we managed to lease her off Andrew and we have 80 per cent of her.”

Gray has a good opinion of Evelyn May and expects her to stretch out further in distance.

“I think she’ll run 2400 metres,” Gray said.

“She did a tendon when she was young and she’s got a few issues, but she goes okay.

“She’s got a few wins in her if I can keep her right.”

Gray has booked Sean Cormack to partner Evelyn May who is one of three horses he has in work at Doomben.

“I had six in work up until recently but two broke down and a three-year-old goes out for a wind operation this week,” Gray said.

The 63-year-old Gray worked for more than 30 years in underground coal mines in Australia and New Zealand before biting the bullet a few years ago to take on the training caper full-time.

“I was at Moranbah for a few years and also at Narrabri in New South Wales,” Gray said.

“I’ve worked in about seven different coal mines in Australia and in New Zealand.

“There were quite a few coal mines in New Zealand in the old days but there’s not many now.”

His best win as a trainer came in 2007 when Watchyerback took out the Group 3 Standish Handicap over 1200 metres in Melbourne.