Brett Thompson pulled off a training performance worthy of the Hygain/Mitavite monthly award when he dominated the Gulgong Cup meeting on June 12th.

With the help of Queensland race caller Russell Leonard we’ve identified Emerald trainer Glenda Bell as a worthy recipient of the April award.

The award goes to 34 year old Victorian trainer Ben Brisbourne who won four races for the month on four different tracks. Ben trains a small team at Wangaratta and doesn’t mind travelling his horses to find the right race.

Our February award winner is Steven Royes from the Queensland mining city of Mount Isa. The talented horseman prepares a small team of eight horses in conjunction with his full time job at the famous Mount Isa Mines.

Thirty one year old Stirling Osland was a regular visitor to the winner’s circle on NSW country tracks in the first month of the new year. He won six races which included two doubles, one at Armidale and the other at Inverell on Cup day.

Nyngan’s Brett Robb was caught on the hop in August of last year when his father Rodney suddenly decided to quit his role as a full time horse trainer.

It’s a rare occasion when a trainer is able to win with every horse he or she saddles up at a single race meeting. Scott Collings came away from the Snake Gully Cup meeting at Gundagai on November 13th with a perfect score.

I called Harry Coffey to offer congratulations on his Bendigo Cup win on Wentwood. Harry took little credit for the victory. All he wanted to do was heap praise on Warrnambool trainer Maddie Raymond…

My thanks to popular Queensland race caller Russell Leonard for drawing my attention to a notable training performance at the Barcaldine meeting on September 4th. Respected local trainer Todd Austin prepared four winners and four placings on the eight race card.

Our first Hygain/Mitavite country trainer of the month is Grafton’s John Shelton who notched a winning treble at the Grafton meeting on August 16th from his only four starters.

The legendary Australian horse feed specialists join us this week. One of their sponsorship initiatives is the introduction of a monthly “country trainer of the week” award.