Astute Devon Meadows trainer Garry Selkrig vividly recalls the ‘salad days’ he enjoyed with his former stars Peter Galo, To The Galo’s and Stagger.
At one stage, Selkrig targeted Peter Galo towards the Victorian record of 64 wins – ironically held by his ‘uncle’, Stagger.
But the 2018 G2 Shepparton Cup winner retired with a career-ending injury with 47 wins in September 2020.
Stagger won the 2012 G2 Warragul Cup and To The Galo’s – an older half-brother of Peter Galo – won 43 races including the 2016 Warragul Cup.
And now Selkrig’s current team is giving him a feeling of déjà vu.
Back in December, Invictus Rising won the Sale Distance Championship – incredibly, at the time, giving Selkrig (aka “Gus”) eight winners from his last nine starters.
And the Selkrig juggernaut just keeps rolling along! Those on the ‘Gus Bus’… Well, they “don’t need to discuss much”.
Tomorrow night, he’ll rug Brother Bearing (Box 2) and Hazey Roy (Box 8) in the $8500 to-the-winner Anniversary Trophy (450m) at Ballarat – Race 4, 7.58pm.
Since being purchased for $30,000, Brother Bearing (Feb ’19 Fernando Bale x Tatty Fields) has started 10 times for Selkrig and won six of his past seven – including last week’s $10,000 winner-take-all Cup Night Match Race at Warragul.
In all, Brother Bearing has won 11 from 21 and he’s five from six over 450m at Ballarat with a slick 24.88sec PB. He’s also three from four exiting from Box 2.
“We took a gamble buying him as his left hind leg was in a cast at the time.”
“He’s in great form and loves the Ballarat track,” Selkrig said. “I think he can win, but Hennessey (Box 5) is a top sprinter. Anyway, I respect all my opposition.
“We took a gamble buying him as his left hind leg was in a cast at the time. His former trainer (Anthony Azzopardi) told me Brother Bearing loves Ballarat and was educated there.”
Meanwhile, Hazey Roy (Mar ’18 Barcia Bale x Hazy Babe) came back from an amputated toe to win four in a row between mid-September and early December.
Hazey Roy has won 21 from 58, including four of his past eight, and has a 25.15sec PB at Ballarat. He’s also two from three over this track/distance.
Hazey Roy in full stride during a 29.58sec win at Sandown Park.
“He broke a toe in the catching pen after winning a race at Shepparton on September 27,” Selkrig said. “He had an enforced spell but has come back well. He’s a more than handy second-string to Brother Bearing.”
Owned by Brian Symes of Benalla, Hazey Roy was fourth to Shima Shine in the inaugural Pink Diamond Champion Sprinter final (500m) at Bendigo in June last year.
And he recently finished sixth to Hennessey in a G2 Warragul Cup heat.
“Brian owns a caravan park in Alexandra,” Selkrig said. “He played for North Melbourne in the VFL in the ’70s and is a son of the late Roy Symes who trained 1988 Melbourne Cup winner, Hua.”
WATCH: Brother Bearing (1) defeats Xavien Bale (3) in the Cup Night Match Race at Warragul.
