Blake Shinn produces another masterclass ride on Antino to win Hollindale Stakes at Gold Coast

Antino scored an astonishing win in the Hollindale Stakes with a repeat of the daring tactics Blake Shinn used to win a Group 1 last spring on the Tony Gollan star.

Blake Shinn rides Antino to a dominant win in the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast. Picture: Bethany Allday/TracksidePhotography

It was history repeating when champion jockey Blake Shinn produced a daring masterclass to steer Queensland’s best horse Antino to an astonishing victory in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

In driving rain, Shinn came from the back of the field and wide to blitz his rivals in the $500,000 race at the juicy price of $9, shooting to the lead and catching his outclassed rivals unawares.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

It was the second time Shinn had pulled a rabbit out of his hat on Antino after scoring in similar fashion in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap in Melbourne last spring.

It was only the second time Antino had ventured to 1800m but such was the dominant nature of his win, he immediately surged from $11 to $4 in Group 1 Doomben Cup betting.

It sets up one of the races of the Queensland winter carnival, with frontrunning freak Pride Of Jenni still holding Doomben Cup favouritism at $3.50 for the $1m race in a fortnight.

The lion-hearted victory instantly dispelled any question marks over trainer Tony Gollan’s plan to turn his former star sprinter into a middle-distance champion.

Gollan also put an end to Annabel Archibald’s stranglehold on the race she had won the previous four years with Numerian and Zaaki.

Antino wins the TAB Hollindale Stakes in dominant fashion! 👊 @tonygollanpic.twitter.com/MMTxA1UANY

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 10, 2025

Brisbane’s premier trainer admitted he was “second-guessing” himself in the lead-up to the Hollindale after Antino finished 11th in last month’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick but his gamble has paid huge dividends.

“It was always the plan to come here after that, but for the last three weeks I was second guessing myself whether I’d done the right thing,” Gollan said.

“Everything at home indicated that we were on track, but I was still nervous about bringing him to the Gold Coast for the first time.

“There have been issues with kickback and when a horse breaks slowly like he does, there’s always the danger that things won’t go well.

“But I just told Blake to dare to be brave on him.

“I had him as fit and as well as I could have him second-up, and I’m just really looking forward to the Doomben Cup now in two weeks.”

Blake Shinn brings Antino back to the winner’s stall. Picture: Bethany Allday/Trackside Photography

Shinn said he had a cunning plan to win the Hollindale and the six-year-old gelding didn’t let him down.

“I trust this horse and I have a lot of confidence in Tony as a trainer,” Shinn said.

“He told me to ride the horse as he likes to be ridden and keep him comfortable and balanced, and fortunately it paid off.”

The Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Fawkner Park ($19) and Chris Waller’s Kovalica ($13) rounded out the top three but were never in the hunt.

“I felt like it would be remiss of me not to test him over a trip and allow him to be a stayer, because his pedigree suggests this sort of trip should really suit him,” Gollan said.

“He’s a really funny horse, he’s got his quirks, but he means a lot to me.

“He’s the best horse I’ve ever trained, and when you trust him he gives it back to you in spades. It was so good to see him deliver today.”

Originally published as Blake Shinn produces another masterclass ride on Antino to win Hollindale Stakes at Gold Coast