The progressive five-year-old gelding gave the young trainer the thrill of a lifetime with his gallant performance at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day.

As it turns out, their breakthrough success might just be the tip of the iceberg for Julius and Just Folk this spring.

The newly-crowned Group 2 trainer says he's keen to back his star galloper up in this weekend's Group 1 Cantala Stakes ahead of a well-deserved spell.

A definite decision will be made today, with Julius buoyed by how Just Folk had come through Saturday's run.

"He's his usual self, he spent a nice quiet Sunday and he swam on Monday morning and has come up bright and well," he said.

"If he runs again this prep it will probably be Saturday in the (Group 1) Cantala Stakes

"In the perfect world, the race would have been back on the last day of the (Flemington) carnival and it would have been two-weeks in between runs for him.

"If his legs are alright, we might pay the acceptance fee and have a crack, but unless all the stars align and he is ripping and raring to go, we'll most likely just put him away."

Julius, who will saddle up a pair of first starters - the three-year-old filly Miss Mamba and four-year-old gelding Up All Night - in separate maiden races on Wednesday's Bendigo Cup day program, expects it will take a while longer for his Group 2 moment to sink in.

He has been genuinely moved by the steady flow of well-wishes and support.

"It's very surreal - we probably haven't had a chance to sit down by ourselves. We've had plenty of friends and family around us which has been fantastic," Julius said.

"We had our daughter Frankie's second birthday on Sunday and we sort of tied those celebrations into the race celebrations as well.

"It's been good. It was good to have a couple of mates around Saturday night for a change and enjoy a few beverages and celebrate that win. And then it was over to the jockey club for Frankie (on Sunday). It was a really good weekend."

Julius admits to taking an instant liking to Just Folk as a foal and was glad to be given the opportunity to train the nicely bred son of Magnus.

"It's a real credit to him, the progression he's made. He's won a Group 2 on Saturday and the most recent race he's won before that was a benchmark 64 at Murray Bridge," he said.

"I had full faith in his ability, his form has been stacking up and he's been running well in the right races. To get that result is terrific.

"I think if you ask my staff, about 18 months-two years ago when the horse arrived in the stable, I very firmly tongue in cheek told them this is the best horse we have in our stable.

"I saw him in the paddock as a foal at my grandparents and I told them from the day I saw him that I wanted him.

"He's just had a real aura about him from the first time I laid eyes on him, so it was good to get that result and to say to a few people I wasn't wrong."

It was - as it turns out - a remarkable piece of judgment on behalf of the astute young trainer, given Just Folk's arrival in Bendigo roughly coincided with the emergence of a talented and progressive staying mare by the name of Super Girl.

In winning four races (one in the city) and placing third in the Listed Ramsden Stakes at Flemington and fourth in the Group 3 Warrnambool Cup, the daughter of So You Think provided Julius with many of his highest moments in racing before Saturday's win at the Valley.

Her passing after breaking down in last year's Bendigo Cup remains the obvious low point.

Twelve months on, Julius is able to draw sentimental comparisons between his current and former stable stars.

"In much the same way he (Just Folk) was, Super Girl was running in those second and third-tier black-type races and running competitive races without managing to win one, but always promising that a win was around the corner," he said.

"I don't think it would be a hard argument to have that she had a Group 3 or a Group 2 in her.

"She was certainly on the cusp of achieving that when we lost her.

"Unfortunately, that's racing, but Super Girl certainly set the benchmark pretty high for our little team.

"For this to happen for us 12 months on, it's very special for all involved and a credit to all the team."

Excitement of a different sort awaits on Wednesday afternoon when Miss Mamba and Up All Night begin their own personal and unique journey into racing.

Julius, who only three weeks ago trained Satin Ruler to a win on debut at Echuca, expects both of his cup day first-starters to give a good account of themselves.

"They've been doing a lot of their work together, albeit they are both running over different distances, but I honestly can't split them on ability," he said.

"Both of them have shown me enough to suggest that they will win their share of races, so without having dived into the form, I can't pick one over the other.

"Whether they win on debut remains to be seen, but I'm just looking forward to seeing what they do."

READ MORE:

Just Folk triumphs for Josh Julius in Group 2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley

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