Gary Doughty will get a special buzz if Bold Warrior can help him celebrate two years as a trainer with a win at Doomben.
A multiple Group One-winning jockey, Doughty retired from riding 20 years ago after suffering an eye injury in a fall.
For many years he was stable foreman for his wife Kelly Doughty and while he still works closely with her, he took out his own trainer’s licence two years ago.
He has since won 34 races with his most winner Zoulou Dancer at the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday.
Bold Warrior holds a special place with Doughty as he was his first metropolitan class winner when he won at a city class meeting at Ipswich in July 2018.
Since then Bold Warrior has proved a top performer for Doughty winning another six races, five of them at the Gold Coast.
Doughty entered Bold Warrior for a Gold Coast Open Handicap on Friday but instead accepted with the gelding in the TAB Handicap (1350m) at Doomben the following day.
“He is a big leggy bloke and we gave him time to mature. All of his wins have been in the 1350 to 1400 metre range,” Doughty said,
Bold Warrior is raced by his breeder Jan Clark whose family have owned some of the state’s best horses including multiple stakes winner Starmaker.
“Jan has been a great supporter of ours and she can breed a good horse,” Doughty said.
