When it comes to horse trading, Jeremy Sylvester can lay claim to striking a good deal with Collar who lines up in Sunday's $25,000 Gunnedah Cup seeking back-to-back wins.

The Cessnock-based trainer purchased the son of O'Reilly out of the Zabeel mare Laebeel as a tried horse at a Lloyd Williams dispersal sale on the Gold Coast for a meagre $5000.

Sylvester initially had the gelding knocked down to him for $11,500.

"He failed a scope but I managed to renegotiate and they sold him to me for $5000," Sylvester said.

Collar underwent a successful throat operation before beginning his career with Sylvester.

The gelding was previously trainer By Robert Hickmont and showed great promise as a three-year-old winning the Listed Doncaster Stakes and finishing runner-up in the Group Two The Vase at Mooney Valley.

Sylvester admits to taking some time to figure out Collar but suggested he's gradually improved with every run.

"He had a few back problems to begin with but he's got better and stronger.

"He's a big horse with a good motor.

"At the moment he's going good. We'll see what he can do on Sunday then I'll probably spell him. He hasn't been over-raced so I think he can come back an even better horse."

Collar won his first race for Sylvester over 2100m at Tamworth on April 27. It was a 4-3/4 length romp over the field when ridden by Robert Thompson.

"Hopefully there are a few more wins in store," Sylvester said. "His win at Tamworth was very good. He had the others off the bit a long way from home.

"Robert said he's a horse that can maintain a genuine speed throughout."

Collar is raced by Sylvester, his wife Caroline, son Jack and daughter Lucy.