Latest News

By Tony Megahey

If successive TAB Highway doubles beckons amidst a recovery season, Goulburn’s Scott Collings has endured enough adversity to make his continued comeback uplifting stuff with London Gal at Royal Randwick’s Boxing Day meeting on Sunday.

Near three seasons ago, Scott suffered a horrific track accident, fracturing a shoulder, three ribs and leg injuries and was incapacitated long term.

London Gal and Tim Clark return after winning at Royal Randwick. Image by Bradley Photographers

At a time when Scott had amicably ended his lucrative dual regional premiership partnership with Keith Dryden, who ironically went on to win the $1.3 million The Kosciuszko in 2019 with Handle the Truth.

Still laid up, the percentages that could have gone Scott’s way was pure torture.

So injured and with a mediocre stable and starting from scratch it, was 'Struggle Street' big time for Scott and his wife Debbie.

Surely something had to had to come his way - and it did.

Their ‘bread and butter’ earner Bombdiggity kept the stable afloat and won his ninth race on Sunday at Moruya.

Previously, Ten Bells won a Highway double and emerging London Gal, tenacious winning two weeks ago, suggesting she can take it further into another TAB $100,000 Class 3, 1100m Highway.

The four-year-old mare is favourably weighted with 54kg for Jay Ford after carrying a kilo more. She originally alerted winning by a widening five lengths at Gundagai and then bravely at headquarters, both on heavy going.

So, Scott is in the zone. And it couldn’t be more deserved.

“It’s been really good when you’ve done it tough for a while and finally get some that can run and are 100 per cent genuine all around the same time,” Scott offered.

Bombdiggity, Ten Bells and London Gal have won 16 races between them in less than two seasons. London Gal is a dual acceptor.

“I’ve also left her in at Wagga on Friday, sitting on what develops. But leaning to the Highway while she’s eligible.

“It’s a lot deeper race but big weight difference and 100,000 grand compared to 25 grand at Wagga.

“The wide draw isn’t all that bad; the emergencies are drawn inside, so likely we’ll come in a few.

“I thought she got beat last start but she’s just so tough and genuine, worried them out of it.

“She does thrive on heavy, but she’s won on firm and building an outstanding record.”

The big firmer will be Cody Morgan’s Anethole through the influence of an early Hugh Bowman booking and scratched when short odds from Tamworth on Monday to be kept for this.

At present headquarters is a Good 4 with some showers expected on Thursday.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Royal Randwick here