It was another red-letter day for East Gippsland trainer Rob Gillahan at Sale last Sunday, with stable star Battles End ($6) impressively winning the Higgins Machinery & Mechanical Service Middle Distance Series Heat 5 (1617m).
It was almost the perfect result for Gillahan. Battles End, perfectly ridden by Georgina Cartwright, and third-placed Don’t Shoot under Harry Grace nearly pulled off what would have been a memorable quinella for the stable based at Ensay in Victoria’s remote east. 
The two were split by Blackmaker, prepared by the leviathan dual-state stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.Battles End was purchased by a local syndicate out of the Inglis sales ring for $800, in the hope of one day winning the local Tambo Valley Cup (run at Swifts Creek).
She’s now raced 19 times for her new connections, notching three wins (all at Sale), six placings and stakes of more than $50,000.
A shearer by day, Gillahan generally has four or five horses in work (currently two) as a hobby on a 300-acre sheep and beef property he manages at Ensay (80 kilometres from Bairnsdale). 
Gillahan has chipped away for the best part of two decades winning races with tried horses, mainly on the picnic circuit, where for many years wife Karen rode the stable runners.
The horses are worked on the expanses and through the gullies and paddocks of the property.
“Horses seem to thrive here, especially the older mares,” Gillahan explained. “We work them up a 700-metre hill, with a decent rise towards the end. The horses we buy from the sales have generally all shown ability, but have trained off. They roam the paddocks together here during the day.”
This racing season has been Gillahan’s most successful in the professional ranks, with Waltz In and Senorita on Safari (both $1000 purchases) successful at Bairnsdale, and Battles End winning three times at Sale. 
The trainer’s simple approach seems to be paying off.
“We can’t make them better or quicker, but if we keep them happy, they’ll do their best and longevity is assured.”
In April 2015, the Gillahans took their entire team (then four) to the local picnic meeting at Swifts Creek. All four (Bibibang, Urban Gypsy, Waltz In and Chadra Boy) saluted on a day they will never forget.
Team Gillahan usually give the horses a break during the winter months as temperatures at Ensay plummet as low as minus seven or eight, enough to test anyone’s commitment to their hobby and passion. 
This year, with Battles End and Don’t Shoot best suited racing on soft tracks, the duo will brave the elements and push on.
Those horses could soon be joined by the couple’s next bargain, as the Gillahans were on the lookout at this week’s Inglis sales at Oaklands Junction. 
Battles End and Don’t Shoot will both target races at Sale on July 2.  
Frankie cranking out the winners
It’s been a big week for Pakenham trainer Frankie Stockdale. Now that he’s firmly entrenched training on the track at Racing.com Park in Tynong, the tide has turned and the winners are beginning to flow.
Tuesday’s home-track synthetic maiden victory by promising Husson three-year-old Eminent Son was Stockdale’s fourth winner from his past five runners, with the other runner (Unique Assassin) narrowly beaten into second place in a Warrnambool hurdle. 
Stockdale tasted city success as a trainer for the first time last Saturday when promising three-year-old filly Unique Lovely, owned by wife Julie and ridden by son Brandon, won the $100,000 Bidfood Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley. 
Frankie Stockdale described the victory as the highlight of his training career. 
Unique Lovely was the one leg of Brandon’s first Saturday city double, as he later combined with Echuca trainer Gwenda Johnstone to salute on Catch That Cat. 
The momentum continued Sunday at Sale, Brandon combining with another Tynong trainer in Tom Scanlon and his handy four-year-old mare Elegant Queen. 
Eminent Son’s victory capped off a big week for the 18-year-old, who has now ridden more than 100 winners, 21 of them in the city. His three-kilogram claim is sure to be in demand over the winter months.
Frankie was glowing in his praise of his son and stable apprentice: “I can’t believe that he doesn’t get more rides — he rides as well as anyone and he proved that today. This win (Unique Lovely) should hopefully kick him on a bit.”
Frankie Stockdale was one of the first trainers to purchase an on-course allotment (18 were offered) as part of the first stage of the Pakenham Racing Club’s training centre development. 
Eminent Son is Stockdale’s first win on his home track since moving to Tynong from Sale in October 2016.
Unique Lovely will contest a $40,000 Super Vobis benchmark 64 for three-year-olds over 1000 metres at Sandown next Wednesday.
She is now rated 68, but Brandon’s three-kilogram claim will bring her into the race nicely, with a $15,000 Vobis bonus making the race an attractive option.