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By Ray Hickson

It’s been a while since trainer Mel O’Gorman feels she’s had a horse with Highway quality like unbeaten gelding Nation Changing and she hopes her opinion can be proved right at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Melanie O'Gorman (Pic: Bradley Photos)

But, interestingly, if things panned out another way the four-year-old could easily have been in different hands.

The ‘for sale’ sign was hung around Nation Changing’s neck for some time before O’Gorman sent him to the races and she says it was a blessing in disguise he couldn't be sold as he collected easy wins at Scone and Armidale.

“Along the way I have offered him for sale a few times and for various reasons the buyer pulled out or the deal fell through so here I am, I still have the horse,’’ she said.

“I originally bought him as a breeze up horse and he didn’t really handle the breeze up prep, but was always a good type physically.

“He needed a bit of time to keep maturing. He showed nice ability in his first two trials and obviously he’s gone on since then with a bit of time.”

The Tamworth trainer won two Highways in 2017 with her former classy sprinter Suncraze, who was runner-up in the inaugural Kosciuszko in 2018, and her last Highway success came in July 2022 when So Country was successful.

Nation Changing, $5.50 with TAB on Wednesday, was scheduled to resume last month in an 1100m Highway at Rosehill but O’Gorman held him back after he drew awkwardly.

With that race in mind she gave him a rousing barrier trial win at Gunnedah on July 9, where he scored by almost 10 lengths with race jockey Siena Grima testing him out.

Vision of the Gunnedah trial wasn't taken but O'Gorman said the margin isn't significant and in the month since that hitout he's contested a jump out at Tamworth to keep him ticking over.

“It was a nice trial, it was hand timed and my horse was pushed out,’’ she said.

“I was trying to get him ready for that race and he’s a very lazy trackworker. He’s a horse that doesn’t do anything more than he has to when he’s on his own, even in his gallops.

“I felt I may have been a bit behind the eight ball so I did push him out in the trial. Maybe the margin sounds better than it was because the other horses weren’t pushed out.

“We managed to get jump outs last week on the course proper so he had one last Friday. I’m happy where we’re at for the 1000m.

"It’s time to get back to the races so I’m looking forward to getting out there.”

O’Gorman said what Nation Changing has in his favour in the TAB Highway (1000m) is a versatile racing style and it’s now up to the horse to step up.

“He’s an easy horse to ride in you can put him anywhere, he begins well but if you ask him to come back to you and tuck in behind them she can do that on him easily,’’ she said.

Nation Changing wins at Armidale in April

“He’s just such a pleasure to have around, everyone loves him. His two wins were nice wins, he’s a bit of stable favourite.

“We all know how hard it is to win Highways but I haven’t had a horse I thought was up to Highway standard for a couple of years so I’m hoping he gives a good account of himself.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting