Latest news with #DoombenCup
New Paper
07-07-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Ceolwulf gears up for Winx Stakes
SYDNEY Trainer Joseph Pride has been heartened by the performances of a horse from a rival yard this season as he begins to plot a Spring Carnival path for stable flag bearer Ceolwulf. The Warwick Farm conditioner watched with interest as Antino thumped his rivals in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1,800m) and the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2,000m) over the Queensland winter, the efforts elevating the Tony Gollan-trained galloper to the second line of early Cox Plate markets behind the 2024 Cox Plate winner, Via Sistina. This year, the prestigious Group 1 event run over 2,040m will be held at Moonee Valley on Oct 25. While Antino, a five-time Group winner, has always shown talent, it has been as a five and six-year-old that the son of Redwood has found his groove, and Pride believes Ceolwulf is on a similar trajectory. "I was watching Antino this preparation, and he has just found this level of consistency. I remember him when he was at the same age as Ceolwulf, he was a bit inconsistent," said Pride. "He'd have a good prep, then a bad prep. These horses just need to fully mature and when they do, that's when they really find a vein of form where they always run well." Antino is two years the senior of the four-year-old Ceolwulf, and Pride can see Ceolwulf following a similar path that Antino took. Ceolwulf stamped himself as a top talent when he claimed the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1,600m) on Oct 5, 2024 and the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1,600m) at his next start a fortnight later. Both times, he was ridden by Sydney-based British jockey and regular partner Chad Schofield. But while the son of Tavistock was competitive in several major races, he could not add to his Group 1 tally. After his back-to-back Group 1 victories in spring, Ceolwulf ran in five more races - three Group 1 and two Group 2 events. While he ran third to Gringotts in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1,500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22, he managed only fifth in two other Group 1 races, including his last start in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) at Randwick on April 12, which was taken out by Chris Waller's star Via Sistina. Ceolwulf's last win came two starts ago in the Group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2,000m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 1. Pride expects that to change over the coming seasons as Ceolwulf continues to develop and mature. "He didn't run any bad races in the autumn, but he paid the price for having won a couple of Group Ones," he said. "There were no easy races for him. All of a sudden, he was up against the big boys all the time, but he is a top-shelf horse. "He is up around 530 to 540 (kilos) now, so he will race heavier again this prep. "He is coming along nicely. I haven't got a trial date for him yet but he will resume in the Winx Stakes." The first of the Group trials will be held at Warwick Farm on July 25, and the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1,400m) run at Randwick on Aug 23 will kick off the Sydney's Spring Racing Carnival this year. Pride also confirmed this week that he had picked up 2024 Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2,000m) winner El Castello - previously trained by Anthony Cummings - who has not raced since finishing fifth in the 2024 Victorian Derby (2,500m) at Flemington on Nov 2. SKY RACING WORLD
The Australian
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Queensland trainer Tony Gollan on the cusp of another training milestone
Tony Gollan breaks training records for fun but the champion Queenslander is moving closer to climbing a peak he has never scaled before. Gollan, who will score his 12th successive Brisbane training premiership this season, is eyeing off the new personal milestone of training 200 winners in the national title. It is something he has never done before and, currently with 183 winners Australia-wide this season, it would be short odds he will raise his bat for 200 before the racing season winds up at the end of next month. • 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 is an extraordinary effort with only Ciaron Maher, Chris Waller, the Hayes boys of Lindsay Park and Annabel and Rob Archibald stables training more winners so far this season. Most of those mega stables have multiple training bases across various venues and different states, whereas Gollan has trained purely out of Eagle Farm until relatively recently when he opened a Gold Coast satellite stable. Even by Gollan's lofty standards, the 2024/2025 season has been an incredible one and also featured dominant Group 1 wins with Antino in the Toorak Handicap and Doomben Cup. Gollan now has a golden chance to score the final Group 1 of the racing season, Saturday's Tatt's Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm. • Bound for glory … if barrier gods are kind His stable golden girl, Floozie, has been unbeaten for Gollan with four straight wins since he took over the training of the mare from Victorians Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr. Floozie is a $4.50 second favourite to win the Tatt's Tiara, a race that eight-time Group 1 winner Gollan has never won before. Floozie is a leading chance in Saturday's Group 1 Tatt's Tiara at Eagle Farm. Picture: Trackside Photography It could also cap a fabulous winter carnival for Queenslanders on their home soil. With Queensland wins to Cool Archie (Group 1 JJ Atkins) and Antino (Doomben Cup), a Floozie triumph in the Tatt's Tiara would give the Sunshine State its third Group 1 of its local carnival. • Jones' narrow miss fuels her hunger for Group 1 glory There have been many years where Queensland winter carnival hopefuls have been overrun by the southern invaders … but not this year. The last time Queensland produced three Group 1 winners at the winter carnival was in 2022 when Gypsy Goddess won the Queensland Oaks, Apache Chase the Kingsford Smith Cup and Startantes the Tatt's Tiara. Before that, in 2014, River Lad won the Stradbroke Handicap, Tinto claimed the Queensland Oaks and Spirit Of Boom prevailed in the Doomben 10,000.
News.com.au
02-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Pride of Jenni's owner Tony Ottobre to keep his lips sealed on retirement talk for champion mare
Scarred by the keyboard warriors who criticised Pride Of Jenni 's second coming, prominent owner Tony Ottobre has vowed to keep his lips sealed when he decides the time is right to retire the champion mare for good. Ottobre made what he admitted was an emotional decision to call time on the triple Group 1 winner's career after she bled when last in the Champions Mile at Flemington in November. But Ottobre changed his mind in the new year and in March, Pride Of Jenni returned with a bang, winning the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield under 61kg. The seven-year-old then flopped in the $2.5m Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington before a 2.25-length victory in the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) at Caulfield early this month. She was then sent to Queensland for the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m), won by local hero Antino, but faded badly to finish 10th out of 12 runners. It prompted further questions over whether it was time for Ottobre to again hang up the saddle for the Ciaron Maher -trained mare, but the owner insisted Pride Of Jenni would be the one to make that call, not him. 'When she's ready, then we'll retire her. And there won't be any fanfare,' said Ottobre, who told Racenet recently that he had banned himself from social media. 'One day she just won't turn up to the races and that'll be it. 'I've already made an announcement and I tried to apologise to say that 'look, I did get it wrong' but it was 'boo-hoo to you Tony, we're still going to give it to you'. 'Well it'll be 'boo-hoo to you guys' because I'm not going to tell them when she's going to retire so it works both ways. 'I've always talked the truth but now I just have to clam up a little bit because it's not good for my family. 'I don't care, you can bag the s*** out of me but my family – my wife, my son, my grandchildren and my friends – they don't like to see that kind of stuff. 'I just can't believe how bad some people are with their thoughts about horses. It's pretty rank.' Pride Of Jenni returns with a bang at Caulfield as she goes all the way to take out the Listed Anniversary Vase 🙌 @cmaherracing @craig_newitt — (@Racing) May 3, 2025 • Ottobre said he felt vindicated in bringing Pride Of Jenni, who had won almost $10.5m in prizemoney, back to the racetrack. 'Because I mentioned that she was going to retire last year, ever since then everyone's been jumping on my case saying 'you should retire her',' he said. 'Then she won the Peter Young Stakes. She was just outside the course record that was 20 years old and had to carry 61kg. 'We did the right thing and people have got to give us some sort of credit for that because we don't retire her just because people say that we should. 'We have a judgment call to make and nine times out of 10 we make the right call. 'As far as I'm concerned, bringing her back and winning two out of the races she's raced in was vindication enough to say we were on the money.' The great mare is back! ðŸ'« Pride Of Jenni picks up where she left off, stringing her opposition out & trouncing them in the Peter Young Stakes. @cmaherracing @craig_newitt — (@Racing) March 15, 2025 Pride Of Jenni left Brisbane on Monday on a truck bound for Melbourne, where she will enjoy a spell before a likely spring carnival campaign. But just don't mention the R-word to Ottobre because he's had a gutful of the negativity surrounding his champion mare. 'They all talk about retiring and age but horses can run up until they're 13,' he said. 'I'm not saying I'll do that with her but it's no big deal that seven or eight-year-olds keep running. ' Chautauqua is the perfect example. He just told everyone that he didn't want to run.'
Herald Sun
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Tony Gollan turns to Blake Shinn in bid to win Stradbroke Handicap golden ticket
Blake Shinn and Tony Gollan combined for an exhilarating Group 1 triumph last weekend and they will hopefully unite again for another major mission at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Racing's dream team of Blake Shinn and Tony Gollan could be back in business for another major mission on Saturday. A week after Antino was a Group 1 Doomben Cup destroyer, the superstar Victorian jockey has been booked for a bid to try to qualify a progressive Gollan three-year-old for the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. However, there is a hurdle with Shinn on Tuesday revealing he had sustained a minor injury and would take a step back from riding engagements in coming days. But he will do everything possible to be riding at Eagle Farm on Saturday. • Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg Polson and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! Apprentice Emily Lang, who leads the Brisbane jockeys' premiership race by eight wins, has ridden Boomtown Boss in his last three starts and has ridden the gelding to all four of his career wins. Boomtown Boss also provided a huge moment in Lang's young career when she secured her first Stakes winner, riding him to score in the Listed Daybreak Lover in April. But Shinn, assuming he is fit, gets the job on Saturday as a Stradbroke Handicap golden ticket is offered up for the winner of the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m) at Eagle Farm. — Blake Shinn (@blake_shinn) May 27, 2025 • 'He'll be competitive': Bosustow weighted to win Straddie Boomtown Boss had been a winning machine before a wide barrier and stretching out to the 1600m of the Group 2 Queensland Guineas found him out last start. Gollan thinks back to 1400m is a key and he revealed he would love to give Boomtown Boss a shot at Queensland's most prestigious race. 'Absolutely, I would love to run him in the Stradbroke if he won on Saturday and pulled up well,' Gollan said. 'In the Guineas, he drew wide and went wider on a day where it was a disadvantage to do that. 'A mile was the outer limits of his distance range, for sure, but he is back to the sweet spot of his distance range. 'The 1400(m) at Eagle Farm looks ideal for him. He looks well placed in what is going to be a good race. 'He is a work in progress and he is still doing a fair bit wrong.' • 'Mixed emotions': Collett will head back home to New Zealand In TAB's all-in betting market ahead of the Fred Best Classic barrier draw on Wednesday, Boomtown Boss is a $13 chance. Hype horse Angel Capital, which will have his first start for Chris Waller since being transferred from Clinton McDonald, is the $3.60 favourite. Meanwhile, Gollan indicated it was onwards and upwards for Antino after his blockbuster Group 1 win last Saturday. Antino was allotted 58kg when the Stradbroke Handicap weights were revealed on Monday, but he has been sent for a spell with a Cox Plate spring mission now the priority. Antino is on the second line of Cox Plate betting at $8, with Via Sistina the $2.50 favourite. Renowned ratings guru Daniel O'Sullivan said of Antino's Doomben Cup romp: 'He clearly stamped himself as the second-best horse in the country (behind Via Sistina). All going well, it shapes as a blockbuster clash between the two in this year's G1 WFA Cox Plate.' • NZ greyhounds launch High Court challenge over ban Gollan said on Tuesday: 'Antino has pulled up great, although he was a bit tired Saturday night after the run which is understandable when you run track record pace. 'He will have a short break, maybe three weeks off, and then we will probably kick him off in the Memsie Stakes. 'What happened last Saturday has definitely sunk in now. 'It's now all about planning for the next mission.' Originally published as Tony Gollan turns to Blake Shinn in bid to win Stradbroke Handicap golden ticket with Boomtown Boss in Fred Best Classic Horse Racing Giga Kick's trainer Clayton Douglas has given a telling insight into his champion horse after giving him a spin around Eagle Farm ahead of the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup. Horse Racing The fields and barrier draws for Saturday's Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup and Queensland Derby have been released.
7NEWS
24-05-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Antino blitzes the field in Doomben Cup stunner
Antino has confirmed his status as one of the best horses in Australia with a breathtaking win in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m). Now a dual Group 1 winner, $3 favourite Antino was as impressive as his 6-½ length victory in last year's Toorak Handicap, Blake Shinn once again circling the field to score by four lengths over $8.50 chance Fawkner Park, with Kovalica ($7) just edging Militarize ($19) for third. Relishing the typically punishing tempo set by Pride Of Jenni, who was a noted betting drifter and a spent force early in the straight after being dug up to lead, Antino backed up his 3-½ length win in the Hollidale Stakes to confirm his position as one of the top horses in Australia. This was Tony Gollan's eighth career Group One win and third in his home state of Queensland, and 'special' was the word he felt best described the win. 'He's been the best horse I've trained for some time,' Gollan said. 'Took until last year to win the Toorak, win the Group One and from then, I think we've all just got better as a team, haven't we? We've done things better and he's gone to another level. 'What we've seen today is pretty special. It's a pretty good Doomben Cup field. He's won impressively and we can set our sights now on Melbourne in the spring. 'He's a very good horse, a world class jockey, and I've got a world class team to help me get him ready.' Now clearly proven over 2000m, targets don't come much bigger than the race Gollan has set his sights on, suggesting the Cox Plate would be his Spring goal. 'We'll put him away now for the Cox Plate. I think his style of racing, suits a race like that, that amphitheatre there, where they can build and build and build,' Gollan said. 'I just said to Blake today, I couldn't get him any better than what he is today and when it's time to go, he'll give it to you today. He's really spot on. 'At the Gold Coast he was a little bit soft. Today, he's rock fit and that's pretty impressive. That's as good a win as I've been involved in. It means a lot to the whole team.'
