As the managing director of Highview Stud, board member of New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing, accomplished Gr.1 breeder, and licensed professional trainer, Brent Gillovic is used to what he describes as "directing traffic", reports NZ Thoroughbred News.It says: But as the popular New Zealand racing identity told NZTM today, Gillovic is the Sunshine Coast's most qualified stable-hand as he guides his pride and joy, Wealth Princess (NZ) (San Luis) through her Queensland Winter campaign

As the managing director of Highview Stud, board member of New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing, accomplished Gr.1 breeder, and licensed professional trainer, Brent Gillovic is used to what he describes as "directing traffic", reports NZ Thoroughbred News.

It says: But as the popular New Zealand racing identity told NZTM today, Gillovic is the Sunshine Coast's most qualified stable-hand as he guides his pride and joy, Wealth Princess (NZ) (San Luis) through her Queensland Winter campaign - and he's never been happier!

"I'm her chief strapper - I muck out - I'm the groom - I am it!" Gillovic said. "It's like going back to the start of my stablehand days but it's an absolute pleasure with a horse like her."

A winner of the Listed Newmarket Handicap at Ellerslie in December, Wealth Princess, and Gillovic have been based at Alan and Linda Jones Caloundra property since early May.

Making her Australian debut at the Sunshine Coast on May 9, Wealth Princess carried the colours of her new owner Sean Buckley, a prominent Australian owner and breeder who purchased the San Luis four-year-old from Mr Victor Ngai in April.

As Gillovic explained, there had been plenty of interest in Wealth Princess following her five consecutive win haul and Gr.1 placing in NZ, but Mr Ngai was reluctant to sell his flourishing future broodmare prospect.

"We had plenty of interest in the mare from Australia and the USA but Mr Ngai had turned them all down," said Gillovic. "She then went out for a spell following her second in the Waikato Draught Sprint and the phone went a bit cold, then out of the blue we had an enquiry from Duncan Grimley, and an offer from Sean Buckley followed. In the end the timing was right, the deal was done and she was sold to Sean."

Buckley, of Ultra Thoroughbred's is well known for his purchase of Perth sprinter Miss Andretti who went on to win five Gr.1 races, and his astute buy of South African mare Dane Julia, who later won the Gr.1 New Zealand Bloodstock Breeders Stakes in New Zealand.

Believing the horse to be headed directly to the yard of Melbourne trainer Lee Freedman, none was more surprised than Gillovic when Sam Pritchard-Gordon, Freedman's racing manager, asked Gillovic to continue training the mare throughout her Queensland campaign.

"They were keen for me to continue training the mare because I know her so well and her winter campaign preparations were well underway," explained Gillovic. "It is a great thrill to be asked and so far, particularly following Saturday's race, it's all going extremely well."

Wealth Princess made her black-type presence felt at Doomben on the weekend with an authorative win in the Gr.3 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m). Bouncing back in brilliant style following her fresh-up run for second at the Sunshine Coast two weeks ago, the NZ-bred mare showed her Doomben opponents a clean pair of heels as she powered to the line to claim her second win at black-type level by three-quarters of a length.

"It was a great thrill on Saturday and I was pretty confident she was going to win as well as she did," said Gillovic. "I knew there had been plenty of talk following her fresh-up run as Caloundra but I think she may have silenced a few critics on the weekend."