Mark Goodwin shows no signs of slowing down

By Glenn Davis

Veteran Toowoomba conditioner Mark Goodwin turns 80 this year but he shows no signs of slowing down after more than six decades training.

A winner of a host of country Cups and a Listed race at Eagle Farm 16 years ago, Goodwin ended a long city drought when Zeamaize broke through for his maiden win at Eagle Farm on January 7.

Goodwin believed it was his first city winner since Warp Speed won at Eagle Farm in April of 2024.

“I can’t recall my previous winner before Zeamaize but I’m pretty sure it was Warp Speed who ran a lot of placings before I took him up to win the Townsville Cup,” Goodwin said.

Goodwin has been in the racing game since he was a 12-year-old and famously won the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes at Eagle Farm in 2010 with I’m The One.

He still regards the Phelan Ready victory as his best win of his career, overshadowing several country Cup wins including Warp Speed’s Townsville Cup win in 2024.

Goodwin’s father used to be a drover and he grew up around horses and started riding trackwork when he was 12.

“It was nothing for us to ride horses when we were kids - it was just part of our life,” Goodwin said.

“I’ve been training since I was 18 but it was a hobby in those early days and I’ve never been out of work.

“I’ve only got five in work these days but I’m in good health and I’m still shoeing my own horses.”

Goodwin’s hometown was at Dirranbandi and he worked many jobs before taking up training full-time.

“I’ve done everything you could think of,” Goodwin said.

“I used to do fencing, lamb-marking and built powerlines for three years around Dirranbandi and St George.

“I was a jack of all trades and a master of none until I took up training full-time.”

Goodwin heads to Doomben on Thursday hopeful of winning with the lightly raced I’m Nelson in the Class 1 Handicap.

Goodwin paid $20,000 for I’m Nelson, who was bred by Warp Speed’s part-owner Brad Neven.

Neven is a stock and station agent at Roma.

I’m Nelson has only started four times and broke through for his maiden victory in his second start at the Sunshine Coast on September 14 last year.

The three-year-old was spelled after running in the Toowoomba Guineas two weeks later.

He has had one start back this campaign when last in a field of five behind the David Vandyke-trained Jimmy’s Brother in an 1100 metre Benchmark race at Ipswich on January 10.

Jimmy’s Brother subsequently was beaten less than five lengths in the Magic Millions Guineas won by Torque To Be Sure at the Gold Coast on January 17.

“He’s a handy horse and I think he’s got a fair chance at Doomben,” Goodwin said.

“He didn’t travel well for his last start and he was too pumped up on the day.

“He was on the wrong leg most of the way but still ranged up at one stage.”