Great Buy heads into Sunday's Western Districts Country Championships Qualifier as a leading contender but there was a moment roughly two months ago where trainer Brett Robb thought the gelding was heading for a long stint out.
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Great Buy threw Robb from the saddle at his home in Nyngan and was on his way to crashing through a fence.
But thankfully for Robb no major injury was suffered and the four-year-old opened a $15 chance for Sunday's $150,000 heat after drawing gate 10.
"I was sitting there watching Clayton (Gallagher) work past me, I had my feet out of the irons just walking along and he ducked his head down and ducked back the other way and threw me," Robb told Racing NSW.
"He went to go through a gate and went over the gate post and cut his shoulder open.
"I was really nervous when I saw him do it. I thought he'd broken his shoulder."
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Great Buy is one of 11 chances which will contest Sunday's heat, a race which offers the first two past the post a place in the $500,000 final at Randwick.
Kody Nestor's Jailbreak, to be ridden by Anthony Cavallo, opened a $2 favourite after drawing gate seven.
Reece Jones will ride Great Buy on Sunday and despite the wide gate, the apprentice jockey heads into the event in fine form.
Jones rode the Rod Northam-trained Spiranac to victory in the Hunter North West qualifier last weekend and has seven rides booked for Coonamble.
Robb's other hope in the race, Skullharderson, will go from gate two with Rachael Murray in the saddle.
Skullharderson heads to Coonamble having run third in a benchmark 58 event at Dubbo last time out while Great Buy, who won at the Dubbo track last month, most recently finished fourth in a class 2 at Mudgee just behind one of Kody Nestor's Country Championships hope, Activation.
That run came after an eight-week let-up which followed an impressive fourth-placed finish in a Highway event at Randwick.
"On his run at Randwick he was definitely worth a crack at the qualifier,'' Robb said.
"When he came back in he was feeling better, I had a bit of trouble with his feet when he was in the first time. It was hard to keep him sound so I think he did a good job to race as well as he did. He's definitely got to be better this time in.
"Kody was telling us the other day that Activation is one of his main chances. There was no difference between him and Great Buy the other day.
"He's been there and done it and he'd have a bit of an idea, if he reckons Activation is one of his better chances we'd have to be in with a hope.
"He's the type of horse that can jump and put himself up on the speed. I don't want him leading but he won't be far from them."
The qualifier jumps at 5.25pm on Sunday.
