Tony Gollan rates Golden Boom the best of his six runners in Bribie Handicap despite barrier 16

Tony Gollan is tackling the Bribie Handicap with an arsenal of runners but says punters shouldn’t be too put off by the wide barrier for his leading chance.

Tony Gollan is gang tackling the Bribie Handicap but the champion trainer has a word of warning from the other side of the world.

Gollan, in Hong Kong to prepare stable star Antino for a crack at the world’s best on Sunday, said punters shouldn’t be turned off by a wide barrier for Bribie contender Golden Boom.

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Sharp sprinter Golden Boom has drawn barrier 16 but Gollan, speaking from Hong Kong, said that isn’t too much of a turn off in the Listed 1000m scamper at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

“They are going to go quick, but as you saw in the winter carnival he is not a one-trick pony and he doesn’t have to lead,” Gollan said.

“He can take a trail if he wants to.

“It’s all about giving him a smooth run and I still think he’s a fantastic chance in the race.

“The wide gate doesn’t overly deter me.”

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Gollan thought enough of stakes winner Golden Boom to send him to Melbourne at the start of the spring carnival where he finished runner-up in the Listed Carlyon Stakes at The Valley.

The five-year-old son of Gollan’s former champion Spirit Of Boom resumed last month when third on a heavy track in the Swiss Ace Plate on the Sunshine Coast.

Golden Boom races in the Archer Park colours and they have been to the fore lately, with stablemate Hidden Wealth scoring last Saturday’s Group 3 George Moore Stakes at Doomben.

Tony Gollan isn’t deterred by Golden Boom’s wide gate in the Bribie Handicap. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

In-form hoop Kyle Wilson-Taylor partnered Hidden Wealth last Saturday and gets the job on Golden Boom where he will have to work his magic from the wide barrier.

Golden Boom is a $7 chance in a race where Gollan’s top chance – at least according to betting – is Zarastro who is set to resume as a $6.50 chance.

Gollan said Zarastro is a high-quality sprinter but is slightly concerned that 1000m could be too short for him first-up.

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Zarastro had been set to resume over 1200m in the George Moore Stakes last Saturday but was scratched when the track was heavy.

“Zarastro is interesting, I didn’t really want to kick him off over 1000 (m), 1200 (m) is more his go, but here we are,” Gollan said.

“I don’t think you will see him at his absolute peak until we get to Gold Coast Magic Millions day.

“Is 1000m too short for him at this level, I'm not sure?

“But he is a quality horse.”

Gollan’s other runners in the Bribie are Nettuno ($13), All That Pizzazz ($16), King Kapa ($19) and Cannonball ($23).

Plenty of interested eyes will be on the race for the return of Rob Heathcote’s Group 1 winning star Rothfire ($6.50).

Originally published as Tony Gollan rates Golden Boom the best of his six runners in Bribie Handicap despite barrier 16