Expensive sprinter Cannonball goes from Royal Ascot to Sunshine Coast with latest stable change

Cannonball set connections back $975,000 at the Magic Millions in 2021 and took them to Royal Ascot last year, however he is now on his third trainer as Tony Gollan looks to get him back in the winners circle at the Sunshine Coast.

Cannonball wins the 2022 Redoute’s Choice Stakes at Caulfield. Picture: Scott Barbour / Racing Photos

Royal Ascot runner Cannonball now calls Queensland home, with the Group 1 placegetter set to step out in the Swiss Ace Plate at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Owner James Harron made the call to geld the sprinter and send him to champion trainer Tony Gollan at Eagle Farm as he looks to get Cannonball back into the winner’s stall for the first time since March 2023.

Cannonball endured a torrid tip to Royal Ascot last year, finishing last in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes and then losing his rider four days later in the Group 1 Queen’s Jubilee.

Gollan said he would make up one of a team of horses from his stable nominated for the Swiss Ace (1000m) on Saturday, in what is the official starting point of the summer carnival.

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“You don’t get many horses that have been to Royal Ascot up here, the signs are good so far,” Gollan said.

“I have been really pleased with him so far, he only has had the one jump out, not two, that’s why we worked him up between races on Saturday.

“He profiles very similar to a lot of horses we have gotten in the past and we have had luck with them.

Cannonball enjoyed a promising start to his career. Picture: Scott Barbour — Racing Photos via Getty Images.

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“He is a nice horse, you’d love to be there on Magic Millions day in the Sprint with him, but the most important thing is getting him back to something like his best form.

“It has been a few seasons since we have seen something like his best.”

With the likes of Golden Boom and last year’s winner Nettuno also set to be among the nominations in what is a loaded hand for Gollan, the leading trainer said he wanted to see Cannonball tick the final box during a track gallop on Tuesday morning.

"Cannonball too good!"

The Capitalist colt has delivered in the Listed Redoute's Choice Stakes 🙌@[e-mail]/iDRenncvzA

— Racing.com (@Racing) April 9, 2022

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Gollan has forged a reputation in reviving the careers of expensive horses who have fallen through the cracks down south and said it was part of a plan from Harron to get Cannonball going again.

“It all happened for this prep, James rang up and wanted a change of scenery for him now that he has been gelded,” Gollan said.

Originally published as Expensive sprinter Cannonball goes from Royal Ascot to Sunshine Coast with latest stable change