I then noted he would be looking for the hat-trick at his next start, wherever that might be, and I couldn’t wait to see it.

The wait ended last Tuesday with the venue being the provincial meeting at Kembla Grange where he lined up in the Benchmark 60 event, again over the mile journey with Brodie Loy aboard. 

John Marzol’s Bel Esandy, following his eye-catching second at Canberra on August 29, also ran in the race, both carrying 58.5kg as top weights and both from an outside gate.

Matt’s only pre-race concern was whether Brockman would handle the heavy nine-rated surface which he had not faced before, all of his five previous wins coming on good or dead rated tracks.

Bel Esandy went back and across the fence in the run with Brockman moving forward four-wide as the race unfolded and was about fifth at the turn. 

Bel Esandy came out of the pack to take the lead about 100m from the line, but just when he looked the certain winner Brockman flew home out wider to claim victory in the shadows of the post by a short head. 

Grahame Begg’s Sir Laslo followed Brockman in, relegating Bel Esandy to a magnificent half-length third in a most exciting finish. 

Matt declared post-race that the horse had been like the fulfilment for his dream, having bred him, broken him in, owning him and training him. 

Well the dream continues after he completed the hat-trick at Kembla on Tuesday and a trip to town beckons for his next assignment, and once again I can’t wait to see it. 

Congratulations from all of us to Matt Wood on this great achievement. 

Joe Ible had our other two runners at the meeting, the first being Rush To Judgement in the Benchmark 65 (1300m) race, first-up from a spell. 

He settled well back on the fence from an inside gate, peeling out at the corner to run on strongly up the straight to claim a very encouraging one length third.

He looks to have a promising campaign ahead of him. 

Joe’s other runner Vision and Verse, with only two career runs behind her, ran in the Class One (2000m) distance event, advancing well up the straight but suddenly veering out about 200m from the line and losing momentum in the process. 

Sam Clipperton straightened her up but it was all too late, finishing fifth at the post. 

She wore blinkers for the first time and is still learning the trade, so she’s still under notice for her next start. 

Steve Stephen’s Sweet Suitor and Wade Mathie’s Who Gives A Hoot were our two Moruya horses at Goulburn last Thursday, both coming home unplaced.

We had three runners race at Monday’s Queanbeyan meeting being John Peiti’s newcomer Spunstar, and Matt Stephens’ pair Stately Grey and Intimate Kingdom. 

It was another great run by Intimate Kingdom who led in the run and up the straight in the Benchmark 70 mile event before being relegated to second on the line by Joe Cleary’s home-tracker Landlocked, holding off all other challengers.

Stately Grey and Spunstar finished unplaced in their respective events. 

We also had another city runner this week at Canterbury on Wednesday. 

John Marzol’s Code Word ran in the Benchmark 75 (2400m) distance event with Kathy O’Hara aboard. 

He got across to the fence from an outside gate, running on strongly but fading out of the race with about 150m to the line on the heavy surface. 

A good weekend lies ahead for our Mourya gallopers kicking off today at Canberra where Luke Pepper has two runners in race two, and Chicka Pearson has Reggae Man, after his terrific close last start second to a good one in race three. 

Lynda Bundy and John Gamble have a runner each in race five, and Lynda and Colbey Hill have runners in race seven. 

Colbey’s Love The Lighty and Wade Mathie’s Who Gives A Hoot run in race eight.

We have plenty of strong nominations in for both Sunday’s Gundagai meeting and for Nowra on Monday. 

Check your guides for our acceptors. 

Until next week, good luck and good punting.