However, he is doing a good a job making up for lost time.

The six-year-old made it three wins from nine starts with a bold front-running effort in the Hygain Showcase Benchmark70 Handicap, 1600m, in Ballarat on Thursday.

Mr Journeyman ($11) responded to a positive ride by Mark Zahra to power away over the last 100m and score by more than two lengths for Ballarat trainer Simon Morrish.

Morrish saddled up the quinella, with the Robert Smerdon-trained Synthetic ($15) leading home the rest of the pack.

Morrish oversees Smerdon’s Ballarat satellite stable.

Morrish said Mr Journeyman had arrived at his stable as an unraced four-year-old.

“We gave the one run and then tipped him out – as you do.” 

The son of Brief Truce resumed nine months later and scored in a Horsham maiden in December, 2013.

Morrish kept his runs spaced, and produced him for another win at the end of that preparation.

Mr Journeyman was again given a lengthy spell this year before going to Avoca early last month and his latest success came at his third run this campaign.

“He’s one of those older horses we’ve taken our time with,” Morrish said.

Morrish only has a small team of his own these days, but was not far off a double with She Says So running second to the Lee and Anthony Freedman-trained Cuban Perfection in the Porter Plant Maiden, 2200m.

Mr Journeyman gave Zahra double.

He also saluted on Sunny Blu Sky ($10) for Geelong trainer Anthony Sexton in the Racing.com Maiden for fillies and mares, 1200m.

Sexton has only three horses in work – his other two races at Werribee on Sunday – and Sunny Blu Sky is his first winner in more than three years.

The three-year-old was quite a hand full in the mounting yard pre-race, kicking out several times before the arrival of Zahra.

Once Zahra was in the saddle though, she settled and gave a perfect display.

Nick Hall also rode a double – Cuban Perfection and Skellig ($3.50) for Mick Price in the City of Ballarat Benchmark64 Handicap, 1200m.