Stradbroke Handicap favourite Antino: ‘He just takes the Mickey out of me’

Tony Gollan knows Antino has all the talent in the world but says the Group 1 galloper and Stradbroke Handicap favourite takes the Mickey out of him at jumpouts and trials.

Stradbroke Handicap favourite Antino will be seen in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Picture: Grant Peters - Trackside Photography.

Antino is the star horse who “takes the Mickey” out of Tony Gollan.

But Queensland’s champion trainer is convinced he is on song for Saturday’s Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup and also primed to give next month’s Stradbroke Handicap a massive shake after being well weighted with 54kg.

“He just takes the Mickey out of me at jumpouts and trials and he just goes through the motions, he just sort of flops around behind them,” Gollan said.

“It’s very hard to get a read on him. He pretty well knows what happens on the inner track is not what happens on the outer track.

“He had his normal, lethargic jumpout last Tuesday and no one would be getting excited watching him do that.

“But his trackwork was normal from him this morning, he often leads out in his gallops which is unusual for better horses but he enjoys that just rolling out in front of a workmate.

“Visually to the eye it was just what I wanted.”

Tony Gollan talks to @bendorries76 about Antino ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup, as well as his 54kg in the Stradbroke Handicap 👇 pic.twitter.com/kczsXIwivf

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) May 27, 2024

The Group 1 Stradbroke is the race that Gollan has long craved and Antino surged into favouritism when resuming and winning in spectacular style when coming from last in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm earlier this month.

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Antino has some big fish to fry in Saturday’s Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) but Gollan is sure the Stradbroke over 1400m will be in his sweet spot and especially after being weighted with 54kg in Queensland’s most prestigious race.

“I’m delighted with his Stradbroke weight, really happy,” Gollan said, after Stradbroke weights were released this week.

“We thought he would get somewhere between 54(kg) and 55(kg) and it seems to be in the sweet spot if everything works out well.

“He will enjoy the 1300m of Eagle Farm in the Kingsford Smith on Saturday but he will enjoy the 1400m of the Stradbroke even more.”

Antino is back! He wins the G2 Victory Stakes, and it’s three winners for @tonygollan and two for Vlad Duric at Eagle Farm!

@BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/rWUEYSl9gk

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 4, 2024

Antino is the outright $6 favourite for next month’s Stradbroke and is $9.50 to win the Kingsford Smith Cup on Saturday after drawing the widest barrier 12.

It shapes as an intriguing edition of the Kingsford Smith, with $3.20 favourite I Wish I Win, with Luke Nolen back on board, looking to finally bounce back to winning form but again drawing unfavourably in barrier one.

Reigning Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke champion Think About It is a $5.50 chance while Magic Time ($6) and Doomben 10,000 winner Bella Nipotina ($7.50) also have strong claims.

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“This could be the race of the winter carnival,” Gollan declared.

“It’s a very good race and you only have to look at the ratings of the horses in the race to know that. I do think that second-up at 1300(m) at Eagle Farm, which I think is his favourite track, Antino looks really well placed.”

Antino’s stablemate Freedom Rally, who was desperately unlucky last Saturday when finishing runner-up in the BRC Sprint, was also among the acceptances for the Kingsford Smith and is a $51 chance.

Freedom Rally is a $15 chance for next month’s Stradbroke but, at this stage, appears unlikely to make the field.

Originally published as Stradbroke Handicap favourite Antino: ‘He just takes the Mickey out of me’