Astute Wagga trainer Gary Colvin maintained his trademark strike rate throughout February posting four winners for the month. Dupride Star and Danny Beasley got the stable away to a good start with an Albury win on February 1st. One week later Gary produced a winning double on his hometrack - Persian Dancer (Danny Beasley) and Zontawah (Holly Durnan). Holly gave the trainer his fourth for the month when she won on Trifecta Ruby at Wagga on February 25th.
It’s interesting to note that Gary turned to veteran Danny Beasley on two of his winners, while nineteen year old Holly was seen at her best on the other two. Durnan rode her first winner as recently as May of last year, but is already well into the thirties.
Gary Colvin got a very early introduction to racing. His father Fred was a successful amateur jockey in the NSW Central West and was always tinkering with a horse or two on the family property at Tullibigeal. Gary had two brothers who both made their marks in the saddle. John Colvin rode his share of winners from a Newcastle base, while Noel settled in the north west of the state where he was credited with more than 1000 winners over three decades. On quitting the saddle he became a highly regarded starter at NWRA tracks. Sadly, Noel passed away in 2014 after a short illness.
Gary with the Leeton Cup Trophy won by Bravado Lass in 2020 - courtesy Trackpix Racing Photography.
When the Colvin family moved to Wagga, Gary became assistant trainer to his dad for a number of years. He was 30 when he took over the stable on Fred’s retirement, and quickly stamped himself as a trainer who could win multiple races with horses over lengthy periods of time. Notable examples are Pendragon (11 wins), Lock The Key (12), Street Ride (12), Miss Bemuse (7), Texan Son (7), Irish Key (8), while Baltra, Bravado Lass and Forever Newyork won a string of races between them.
The trainer has enjoyed a wonderful ride in recent times with Another One, an $18,000 yearling purchase whose 9 wins and 8 placings have netted $1.03 million for his large ownership group. After winning a qualifier and finishing a half length second to Art Cadeau in the 2021 Country Championship Final, he bounced back a year later to win his Wagga heat and the Randwick Final with Nick Heywood doing the honours in all four races. The long striding chestnut is about three weeks off resuming, with the Wagga Cup his principal target this preparation.
Another One in full flight for Nick Heywood at the finish of the 2022 Country Championship Final - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Gary Colvin can expect twelve complimentary bags of Prydes EasiFeed to land in his feed room in the future.
(Banner image - Another One grabs Tap 'N' Run on the line to win the 2022 Country Championship Qualifier - courtesy Trackpix Racing Photography.)
