But Belle Miraaj has changed all that as she maintained her unbeaten record at Wingatui on Saturday.
Dooley has raced ''one or two'' horses during the past 18 years, starting with Below Zero, who eventually finished with four wins from 30 starts for Ascot Park trainer Gay Robinson.
Dooley bought the Iffraaj filly at the 2012 national weanling, broodmare and mixed bloodstock sale when the fourth foal of Carnegie mare Beach Dance was a weanling.
''She was passed in in the ring, but I negotiated afterwards and got her for about $14,000,'' Dooley said.
Dooley has been keeping an eye on the progress of Iffraaj's progeny in both hemispheres and likes what he sees.
''In the northern hemisphere, the 2yr-old fillies have been going really big,'' he said.
''But in New Zealand, they're doing well too.''
Fix (six wins, $383,125) flew the flag for Iffraaj in his first crop, while If I Can I Can made her presence felt in the South Island last season.
Belle Miraaj is the first juvenile Dooley has raced and he feels her relaxed nature has helped her collect her three wins which have come at Gore in January, Ascot Park last month and her half-length win over So Vital on Saturday.
''She's got a fair bit of size but what she's really got going for her is her temperament,'' he said.
''Even today, she settled back and did the job.''
The connections of So Vital lodged a protest after some bumping at the top of the straight, but the protest was dismissed after the Judicial Control Authority established the contact between the winner and So Vital was a result of tightening inside Belle Miraaj.
Dooley praised the training efforts of Robinson and could still not quite believe he was the owner of an unbeaten filly three starts in to her career.
''I never thought that would happen again. It's hard to believe - three in a row.''
