Entering his fifth year as a trainer, Reece Goodwin keeps scouring online auctions for budget-friendly buys.
His most recent acquisition is the stakes-winning runner Coastwatch, who is bound for the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield this Saturday, marking his initial run under Goodwin’s care.
Coastwatch began his racing journey under Chris Waller prior to transferring to the father-son duo of Richard and Will Freedman, with whom he remained until placed on the market following a tail-end finish at Canberra last November.
During 2025, Coastwatch secured victory in a Listed event at Sandown, yet in the eight races that followed, the gelding could not secure a placing.
Upon securing Coastwatch, Goodwin noted that the horse aligns perfectly with his training operation.
“It’s what we have been doing for a number of years now,” Goodwin said.
“He’s a horse that has shown plenty of ability previously and tapered off in form for whatever reason, and sometimes we can get them going again, and sometimes we don’t.
“The older they are and the higher rated they are, the tougher it is to get them going, but it wasn’t too long ago that he was running OK and everything is price relative as well.
“If he had brought $40,000 or $50,000, we wouldn’t have him, but he only made $20,000 which we thought was a price worth risking on a horse that is going to be running in a race like Saturday, a $200,000 race, even though it’s probably a bit more competitive, or stronger, than I anticipated.”
Goodwin does not anticipate immediate results from Coastwatch, despite the gelding’s solid trial efforts, such as his latest at Pakenham where he finished third to Doncaster Mile contender Sheza Alibi.
Goodwin mentioned that Coastwatch faces a tricky barrier on Saturday, though if the horse finishes strongly, the trainer will be pleased.
“We’ll probably ride him quiet, but it would be good to see him getting through the line late and then we’ll look to step him up to 1600 (metres) second up and see him a bit more competitive then,” Goodwin said.
“We won’t be searching for anything interstate. We’ll keep him at home and try and pick off a race or two and we basically only have to win one of these races to be well in front.
“He does handle some sting out of the ground and being an older horse with some wear and tear, he certainly wouldn’t suit summer.
“We’re just looking for a good kick-off on Saturday and building our way from there.”
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