Hobby trainer Matthews building his future

By Glenn Davis

For a hobby trainer just beginning his career, Toowoomba’s Stephen Matthews could not have wished for a brighter start.

Matthews, who is a builder by trade, has been training for only eight months but has already built an impressive winning strike rate of more than 28 per cent with four wins from only 14 starters.

His last winner was Shadow Power who was successful at Toowoomba in July last year.

At Doomben on Wednesday, he will be looking for his maiden city winner when he saddles Shadow Power in the Ratings 0-65 Handicap over 1630 metres.

Racing is in Matthews’ blood as he proudly owned many horses himself before taking out a trainers’ licence last year.

His father Russell is a big help around the stables while his grandfather Linsday trained horses many years ago including Mendham Lad who was a multiple city winner.

“Dad was a strapper for (the late) Jim Atkins and he also worked for about 10 years for Neville Stewart at Oaklands Stud as a stallion handler,” Matthews said.

“He’s been a big help to me around the stables and my grandfather Lindsay Matthews was a trainer who trained Mendham Lad who won about nine races including six or seven in Brisbane.”

Matthews is close friends with fellow trainer Steve Kirkwood who works for his building company Top of The Range Builders which he started in 2007 with his business partner Gary Lange.

“Steve is also a trainer and is my bricklayer at work,” Matthews said.

Matthews is hopeful his maiden city winner could come from Shadow Power who is coming off a close third in a 1400-metre Class Three at the Sunshine Coast on Boxing Day.

“I’ve booked Cody Collis who will take three kilos off,” Matthew said.

“He galloped extremely well on the grass at Toowoomba on Saturday and if he can repeat that he’ll be hard to beat.

“His last ruin was very good but he did strike a bit of bad luck in the straight and Mark (Du Plessis) said he’d have finished a lot closer with a clear run and he was only beaten two lengths.”