A top-four finish in Saturday's Ballarat Cup will elevate former Bendigo galloper Just Folk through the magical $1 million mark in prizemoney.
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Trained at Bendigo by Josh Julius for 32 of his 36 career starts, Just Folk has $983,403 in career prizemoney.
A tick over $210,000 of that purse has come in the past four starts after Julius retired from training and the horse was sold to Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood for $200,000.
Julius said it would be a proud moment to see Just Folk reach seven figures in prizemoney.
"We played a big part in it and being involved in a horse that has won that sort of money is a huge thrill," Julius said.
"We knew when he was sold that Gavin was on the phone the most. I kept repeating to him that the horse was far from done and that, if placed correctly, he'd be a bloody good buy.
"Gavin has done a great job of that and they've earned back their purchase price. They've got a return on their investment and the rest is all fun for them.
"My grandparents bred Just Folk, so after all their years of toiling away milking cows and breeding horses and all the time and money they've put into it, the fact they bred a horse to win that amount is a terrific effort."
Just Folk won on debut for Julius when he made a stunning last-to-first surge in a maiden at Echuca in July, 2020.
He won five more races for Julius, including two Group Two races - the 2021 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley and the 2022 Ajax Stakes at Rosehill.
In four starts for Bedggood, Just Folk has finished second, fourth, third and a gutsy first in last Saturday's Group Three Eclipse Stakes at Caulfield.
"He's pretty straightforward. He likes to do his work, get fed and be left alone,'' Bedggood said of Just Folk on RSN Racing Pulse.
"He's not a horse that likes hugs and kisses... he likes to be left alone."
Saturday's $500,000 Ballarat Cup will test Just Folk's stamina.
The seven-year-old gelding will have his first attempt at 2000m.
The forecast wet weather in Ballarat will favour Just Folk.
"He won't be running on a [good] four or a five [track],'' Bedggood said.
"He needs a genuine soft track to be at his best. If that's not there he'll go for a spell and come back for the autumn in Sydney."
John Allen, who rode Just Folk to victory in the Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley, is back in the saddle for the Ballarat Cup.
Allen and Just Folk will start from the inside draw in gate one.
Just Folk was rated a $7.50 chance in betting for the Ballarat Cup.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Foxy Cleopatra was early favourite at $5 ahead of Young Werther [$5.50] from the Danny O'Brien yard.
Meanwhile, Mt Macedon trainer Liam Howley will chase his second-straight country cup success with Station One in Sunday's Traralgon Cup (1900m).
Station One led all the way to win the Dunkeld Cup at his most recent start and he's one of the horses to beat in SUnday's $70,000 feature event at Traralgon.
