It sounds like a miracle that he's even racing but The Chaplain could prove the answer to trainer Gary Colvin's prayers at Aggies Race Day on Saturday.
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The Chaplain (6 starts; 1 win, 2 placings) will be back at Murrumbidgee Turf Club for his first start since January, after recovering from an accident.
"It got away over the race course, ran through the gate and at a full gallop, ran into a ute driving past," Colvin said.
"He made a bit of a mess of himself but he healed up pretty well and is ready to have a crack. He's going well."
The four-year-old gelding won a Wagga maiden over 1200m as an odds-on favourite in January, before finishing fourth in a benchmark 58 just over a week later, before misfortune struck on Travers Street.
Apprentice jockey Blaike McDougall will be back on board for his return in the $22,000 Black Swan Class 1 Handicap (1000m).
"He's probably not suited over 1000 metres but he should be running home strong and with a bit of luck can be in the finish," Colvin said.
"He's a typical Zariz, a bit of a late learner, but he's starting to work out what it's all about."
Colvin has a strong hand in the annual Aggies Race Day, with runners in six of the seven events at Murrumbidgee Turf Club, including Snippet of Gold in the Walsh & Blair Flying Handicap (1000m).
Snippet Of Gold (five wins in 23 starts) returned from a 12-month break last month to run second in the $35,000 Ian Reid Sprint over 1200m.
"It was a good run last start. He's back in distance but it was a very good run, he just knocked up the last little bit," Colvin said.
"He'll be pretty well wound up, but there's a couple of good horses in it. It's a good race."
Colvin pinpoints the top weights, Who's Knocking and Whycatchim (both carrying 63kg), as the key runners.
Snippet Of Gold has 56.5kg and will also be ridden by McDougall.
The seven-year-old had two wins in the winter of 2018 before being badly checked in a race in Sydney and subsequently given a long spell.
Bravado Lass will contest the William Farrer Hotel Aggies Cup (1600m) for Colvin. The mare won a class three at Wagga on Christmas Eve but is coming off an eighth at the MTC three weeks ago.
"She's honest and drops back to her own grade. She over-raced last time, saw a bit of daylight and over-raced. If you don't get cover with her, it makes it very hard for the jockey," Colvin said.
Colvin also believes Supalux was very unlucky last start and should run well in the Rivcoll Maiden (1200m) for colts and geldings.
The stable is sending Danetrille to the $17,000 Jerilderie Cup (1400m) on Saturday. Danetrille won the Holbrook and Griffith Cups last year but was second last in the Griffith feature two weeks ago.
"We were a bit disappointed in his last run but he should acquit himself well in that cup," Colvin said.
"There's a couple there, like Bezazzled (trained by Phil Sweeney) that will be hard to beat. But you've got to go to these country cups with a horse like him."
The Jerilderie-trained Bezazzled hasn't been out of a placing in its last eight starts, including four wins.