With the COVID-19 pandemic creating so much uncertainty, the local Gunnedah trainer is, while ever he can, chasing races wherever he can.

"I probably would have run half of the horses from the barriers and on the tracks at the moment because of the situation," he said.

"I ran a horse the other Friday (April 3) at Tamworth on a heavy track and a wide gate and I would have never done that if COVID-19 wasn't there because it's just detrimental to their chances.

"But you just don't know when you're going to race next."

The horses best interests are still "first and foremost" but he is less inclined to scratch a horse for something like a wide gate.

Groth currently has 16 horses in work, and another 10 or so on the books.

"It's actually very busy at the moment as far as the mornings go, and work is," he said.

"We're traveling to the races wherever we can, and while ever they'll race we'll continue to go there because the racing industry is doing a really good job as far as all the protocols go."

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With all the restrictions and segregation he joked it's like entering an airport.

But he is very grateful to "still have the opportunity to continue to ply our trade" when there are so many who don't have that opportunity.

On Monday he had two runners engaged at Muswellbrook. Raglan and Al's A Dancer both finished seventh, the latter fading in the final stages after being well-positioned in second coming into the home turn.

It was Groth's second trip down the highway in as many weeks after Starbrook and Big Surprise went round at Scone the previous Monday - the latter breaking through for his first win sine June last year.

"It was very pleasing," Groth said, adding that it was "not before time this prep".

"I thought he should have won the race at Gunnedah (March 12) but things didn't work out for him the way things went in the race so it was really pleasing to see that he could get it done at Scone for everyone involved."

"It was really nice because the owners are terrific supporters of mine and it's always good to win a race for them."

After racing in blinkers at Gunnedah and going out too hard in front and "over racing severely", Groth made a slight gear adjustment.

"I took the shades off him at Scone and just went with the visors which were a little bit more milder and we just tried to ride him with a little bit of cover and a sit, and it worked," he said.

The five-year old was an almost three length winner after pulling clear with around 200m to go.

This weekend he will send runners around at Coonabrabran on Saturday and Armidale on Sunday. He has five runners nominated for what will be Coonabrabran Jockey Club's first TAB meeting of the year, and one for Armidale.

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