Classic Fortune Favours Goodwins

GLEN and Robyn Goodwin celebrated a popular Group 1 breakthrough when Velocity Liberty was an upset winner of the Ladbrokes Peter Mosman Classic at Wentworth Park last Saturday night.
The Goodwins, who are based at Kanahooka, near Dapto, rode their luck to Group 1 glory with Velocity Liberty taking advantage of first turn interference to big guns Beast Unleashed and My Redeemer to emulate her sire Fernando Bale, winner of the 2015 Peter Mosman.
"It was a great thrill. Something I'll never forget," a still ecstatic Glen Goodwin said on Monday.
"We've been in the game a long time and a lot of trainers live their whole life without making a Group 1, so to win one was super. My wife is still asking me if I can believe it. But it's not going to change us. The only thing it will change is the bank balance!
"It's unbelievable and one of the best things about it has been the amount of phone calls, texts and emails we've received from family, friends, other trainers and people we never would have expected to hear from and everyone has been so genuine.
"The only other Group 1 finalist we've had was Run A Glow in the (2006) National Derby. He was the only dog in that year's Derby to win his heat and semi-final but he missed the start and ran seventh. After the Derby he was invited into the Australian Cup but he broke a hock and didn't race again."
Velocity Liberty had appeared unlikely to advance past the first round of the $75,000 to-the-winner Peter Mosman after running fifth in her heat.
The April '16 daughter of Fernando Bale and Velocity Sofia was first reserve for her semi-final; however she took advantage of a fateful late call-up to finish second at 20/1 to Victorian star My Redeemer, beaten seven lengths in a flying 29.64.
Velocity Liberty then started at $19 from box two in the Classic, with boom local Beast Unleashed ($3.20) and My Redeemer ($3.50), which was taking aim at back-to-back Group 1s after winning the Harrison-Dawson at Sandown Park last month, heading the market.
Velocity Liberty began well and when fancied trio Beast Unleashed, My Redeemer and Chief's Empire ($5) sensationally came together on the first turn, she railed to the lead and opened up a huge mid-race break.
Velocity Liberty held on to defeat the fast-finishing Zipping Falcon and Two Times Twice, scoring by half a length in 30.26, her fifth win from 14 starts.
"You need luck in racing and we got the luck," Goodwin offered.
"I told her owner, Steve Williams, that we were going to head to the Peter Mosman. She is a very reliable beginner and she had run 30.10 at Wentworth Park. I knew we were going to run into 29.60 dogs but I said to Steve that we had to try.
"She missed out the first week and was first reserve for the semi-final but then she drew box two when one of Jason Magri's dogs was scratched. She led but My Redeemer sat on us and she was beaten by one of the best dogs in Australia.
"Steve (Williams) is a punter and I said to him that I thought she could lead the final on the first turn but we'd be playing for luck from there. I don't know how much Steve had on her but I won something small – enough to pay for breakfast on Sunday morning!
"I've watched the replay about 400 times and if you watch the head-on, when she comes out she slips and steps left before she straightens up. I think that bit of a hiccup helped her miss the trouble on the first turn.
"She's got very good mid-race pace and was six or eight in front down the back. It's funny what goes through your head, but I was thinking then that we're going to get some of it!
"Swinging for home we were probably four in front and I started thinking we might hang on but I was under no illusions that she's not 500-strong. Even though she's won three races at Wenty now it's her early speed and mid-race pace. But she's still very young and I think she'll break 30 there in the next couple of months."
The Goodwins' relatively recent association with owner/breeder Steve Williams came about through Glen's friendship with Queensland trainer Steven Scott, forged over a few drinks at the Dandaloo Hotel when Scott won the Group 3 Dapto Maiden in 2004 with Farmor Aims.
"Steven Scott and I are best mates, even though I'm old enough to be his father," Goodwin laughed.
"Steven trains for Steve Williams and he asked me if I wanted him to throw my hat into the ring for a couple of Steve's dogs.
"Steve originally sent me two dogs, including Velocity Korina, which won at Wentworth Park and Richmond. After that he sent me Velocity Liberty and her litter brother Shocked. Shocked ran third at Wentworth Park on Saturday and he's had seven starts for two wins, two seconds and two thirds. He's as strong as a bull and will run 600m.
"I'm picking up another two Keybows that Steve is sending down tomorrow morning. One of them has broken in nicely.
"I've been thinking about the Bendigo Cup but there's a Young Guns coming up at Ipswich in a month's time that I think will be more up Velocity Liberty's alley. Hopefully we've got another 12-18 months of fun with her."