The Candy Man set to chase stakes races

Comeback galloper The Candy Man scored his fifth win in a row and earned a crack at stakes races after his fighting victory at the Gold Coast.

In a driving finish on a heavy, track The Candy Man ($3.90) beat Gold Ambition ($9.50) by a half length in the Attwood Marshall Lawyers Handicap (1800m).

The Candy Man is one of the best comeback stories of all time as his racing career looked over when he smashed his jaw in a stable accident.

A nine-hour operation and 14 months of rehabilitation later The Candy Man was back at the races and has since won five races as well picking up minor place money three times.

Trainer Barry Baldwin has nursed The Candy Man Can carefully but has never lost faith in him.

“I have always said he is a Group horse and now he has earned his chance to prove it. Today’s win with 59.5kg on a wet track shows just how much he likes to win,” Baldwin said.

“The Chairman’s Hcp next week is probably too soon but there is a Premier’s Cup the following week at Doomben and he can have a go at it.”

Jockey Michael Cahill continued his great recent run of 11 winners in just over two weeks on The Candy Man.

“I think he is a pretty good horse and he is up to stakes race,” Cahill said.