The Wheelbarrow heading towards Queensland Derby

By Glenn Davis

Bryan Guy retired from training four years ago, but his love of horses never waned.

Guy, who is in his early 70s, spent more than half his life training before retiring to enjoy another of his great passions - playing golf.

He trained four Group 1’s during his career including his last win at the highest level with Eagle Way in the Queensland Derby in 2016.

His other Group 1 wins were with Ravarda in Sydney in 1996 and in Brisbane in 1995, as well as All Our Mob in the 1994 Stradbroke Handicap.

Guy also trained a host of Group 2 winners, but he never won the Group 2 Queensland Guineas which he hopes to rectify as a part-owner of the promising The Wheelbarrow.

The Wheelbarrow takes his next step to the Queensland Guineas when the gelding starts in the Listed Daybreak Lover at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

It is a race Guy won with Grecolo in 2006.

Ironically, it was a game of golf which prevented Guy from watching The Wheelbarrow complete a hat-trick of wins at his last start in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap at Eagle Farm on April 4.

“His other owners and I all play golf together and we thought 1200 metres would be too short for him last time and we didn’t expect him to win,” Guy said.

“We had a game of golf scheduled but we knew he would be getting home strongly.

“His trainer Kelly Schweida says he’s still learning but he should be strong at the finish again.”

The Wheelbarrow was a $22,000 buy at the Magic Millions sales and could earn a Queensland Derby campaign if he races well in the Queensland Guineas on May 2.

“I bought three yearlings at the sales that year including two for my Hong Kong clients I buy horses for and The Wheelbarrow,” Guy said.

“His mother is called Stargazing and he was named after the group of stars that look like a wheelbarrow.”

Guy is hopeful The Wheelbarrow can develop into a Queensland Derby contender.

“He could end up a Derby horse as he looks like he’ll get over ground,” Guy said.

“If he races well in the Queensland Guineas, he’ll probably head to the Rough Habit then the Queensland Derby.”

Guy conceded giving away training was hard in the early stages.

“I missed training for the first six months but mainly because the alarm clock in my head was still going off,” he said.

“But, after a while it got better and I don’t miss training at all now.”