Melbourne Cup winner Robbie Dolan back in business with Recognition Stakes win at Doomben

It was nowhere near as big as the Melbourne Cup but Robbie Dolan produced his latest fabulous ride to win the Recognition Stakes at Doomben on Wednesday.

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Robbie Dolan after winning the Recognition Stakes at Doomben on Wednesday. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

It might not have been the Melbourne Cup but Robbie Dolan produced another ace ride to score a stakes race at Doomben on Wednesday.

Dolan’s life has changed beyond recognition since winning the Cup on Knight’s Choice but he certainly hasn’t let it go to his head.

Only two days after the Cup he was winning a race at a low-key Ipswich meeting and on Wednesday he landed the Listed Tatt’s Recognition Stakes (1350m) at the Doomben meeting which had been rescheduled from the washed-out affair last Saturday.

Dolan won on Oughton ($7.50) for Gold Coast trainer Melissa Kelly as he darted up the fence which proved to be the winning move.

Dolan stayed close to the rail aboard Oughton which proved to be a winning move. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Oughton raced in Hong Kong for a period and Dolan studied the videos and knew exactly what to do.

“This horse sort of hangs in, and I watched his replays, and then once he started to hang in today I thought I would just go with him,” Dolan said.

“I went to the fence and he actually won in Sha Tin one day when he was ridden a very similar way.

“He’s actually a decent horse and that won’t be his last win.

“I was happy to win because in the previous race, my horse flashed late when I had wanted to ride for luck but it didn’t eventuate.”

Oughton find the gap on the fence to win the Recognition Stakes pic.twitter.com/Lr8f1C5lhe

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 27, 2024

Meanwhile, champion trainer Tony Gollan is convinced he has unearthed a young filly capable of competing in the $3m Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January.

La Bella Boom, a $300,000 purchase, secured her first race win at her second start when she narrowly won the QTIS 2YO Handicap (1200m) as the $1.75 favourite.

La Bella Boom (black and white colours) wins at Doomben for trainer Tony Gollan and jockey Angela Jones to showcase her Magic Millions potential. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Betting had it marked as a race in two between La Bella Boom and Clinton Taylor’s Rockhampton visitor Don’tdoubthelady ($2.35) and that’s the way it turned out with the pair embarking on a two-horse war down the Doomben straight.

Gollan was cursing during the race as La Bella Boom threw her head around, never settling and doing plenty of things wrong but he indicated there is plenty of improvement to come.

“She made it tricky for herself,” Gollan said.

“She never really wanted to settle and she had been four and a half weeks between runs and I didn’t have a smoothest time with her.

“She was coming in pretty soft today and I was very nervous in the run when she was racing so fierce.

“There’s no doubt she is a Magic Millions quality filly, for sure.”

Favourite backers breathe a sigh of relief after La Bella Boom gets her nose down on the line!

The @tonygollan-trained filly wins the first after a great battle with Don'tdoubtthelady 💪 pic.twitter.com/U6JcfpYan9

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 27, 2024

La Bella Boom races in the distinctive Black Soil Bloodstock colours and one of the owners is Ciaron Maher Racing.

Gollan had 2023 Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Skirt The Law resume in the Fillies and Mares BM78 Handicap (1110m) and she ran on for a pleasing runner-up finish behind Cherry Rose.

Skirt The Law started the $3.70 favourite but was always going to derive significant fitness benefit from her first-up run.

Originally published as Melbourne Cup winner Robbie Dolan back in business with Recognition Stakes win at Doomben