‘This is the pinnacle’: Tony Gollan aims up for legacy defining Stradbroke Handicap win with Antino

Tony Gollan has achieved many things in a spectacular training career, but there’s one thing he wants more than anything.

Tony Gollan says that if he wants to be known as one of the best Queensland trainers in history, the Stradbroke Handicap is the race he must win.

With six career Group 1 triumphs, 10 consecutive Brisbane training premiership and a highly successful multimillion-dollar training business, the boy who hails from Toowoomba has most things he craves in racing.

Except a Stradbroke Handicap, the $3m Group 1 sprint which is the Sunshine State’s best race.

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Gollan may never get a better chance than with his current stable star Antino, one of the favourites for Saturday’s Stradbroke at Eagle Farm.

It will be a legacy defining moment for Gollan if Antino surges to Stradbroke glory.

“If I want to be remembered as one of Queensland’s better trainers, then I want to be winning the Stradbroke,” Gollan told Racenet.

“It is a race that I have always wanted to win, it is the best race in Queensland and I think it’s one of the best races in Australia.

“There is something about a big Handicap race, you grow up watching them as a kid and they are races you just want to be part of.

“I am a very proud Queenslander and I want to win our best races – the Stradbroke is our best race. When I won my first Gold Coast Magic Millions, it was a huge sense of relief and a great thrill.

“I’ve run second twice in the Stradbroke, with Vega One (2021) and with Temple Of Boom (2014).

“I have quinellaed the Doomben 10,000 and the Kingsford Smith Cup and this is what is left, to win the Stradbroke. This is the pinnacle.”

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Tony Gollan and Antino. Picture: Steve Pohlner.

Gollan was desperate to get Antino in the Stradbroke 12 months ago when his stable weapon was aged four.

There was a sense of frustration that Antino didn’t make the Stradbroke field and instead had to make do with romping to victory in the Listed Wayne Wilson on the same day.

Everything since has been geared towards getting Antino to the 2024 Stradbroke.

Gollan knew some time ago that Antino had qualified for the race and his lead-up runs, including a booming triumph in the Victory Stakes, have pleased Gollan.

“I think this as a good a chance as I’ve had to win the Stradbroke,” Gollan said.

“This has been a 12-month effort getting Antino back here and into the Stradbroke.

“We have left no stone unturned with Antino’s preparation, we were well aware this year that we were in the field.

“We didn’t have to beat the ballot, so I could really set his preparation up nicely. He goes into the Stradbroke with fresh legs, he is third-up from a break and they are generally his best runs of his preparations.

“I have him in better shape this winter than what I had him in last winter.”

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Trainer Tony Gollan can score his first Stradbroke with Antino. Picture: Lachie Millard.

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At times in his races, Group 1-placed Antino can look like he is going through the motions.

But when he decides to unleash, Gollan says Antino’s burst is cut from a different cloth to any other horse he has ever trained.

“He has just got a big engine,” Gollan said.

“He can sustain a longer run than any horse I’ve trained. He’s not the fastest horse I have trained and he doesn’t have the best turn of foot, but he’s just got an unbelievable will to win and he can sustain a really long run.

“If you look at the Stradbroke Handicap, it’s not a true sprint, you need a horse who has sprinting power but also a horse who has that bit of stamina in them.

“I think Antino ticks those boxes.”

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ANTINO'S BACK WITH A BANG! 💪 pic.twitter.com/BTmhPbwuD5

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 4, 2024

Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Vlad Duric will ride Antino, a partnership which kicked off at the start of the winter carnival when Melbourne Cup winner Mark Zahra had been slated to ride Antino but was suspended.

Antino, who has drawn wide, was on Friday rated a $7.50 chance to give Gollan his first Stradbroke.

On Friday, vets cleared all Stradbroke runners to take their place in Saturday’s big race.

Originally published as ‘This is the pinnacle’: Tony Gollan aims up for legacy defining Stradbroke Handicap win with Antino