TODD POLLARD SCORES HIS FIRST WIN AS A TRAINER IN HIS OWN RIGHT WITH HIS SECOND RUNNER

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Todd Pollard, the former trusted foreman for the Rob and Annabel Archibald stable in Queensland, landed his first winner as a trainer in his own right when Subterrain saluted at Eagle Farm in a Class 1 contest over 1400m.
Subterrain was Pollard’s second runner … and he had to wait all the way until the last race to pick up his first victory, a win which is always important to get out of the way.

Five days earlier Pollard had tasted disappointment at Ipswich when his first runner Ikasara failed to fire when being sent out as the clear race favourite at $2.70, finishing out of the placings.

There were some elements of an excuse in that run … Ikasara was first-up and was having first outing in Queensland since relocating from the Waterhouse / Bott stable … but the fact remained that the result clearly did not meet market expectation.

Things were different at Eagle Farm.

Subterrain was on the third line of betting at $6.50 … so that market pressure was not there this time … and he would put in a shift good enough to carry the day.

The lightly raced four-year-old son of Territories, who was previously trained by Rob bd Annabel Archibald, certainly came into the race with good enough form to get a result.

In three races under the care of the Archibald stable from October 1 to November 12, Subterrain had finished second on debut over 1350m, won a Maiden Plate over 1350m and then finished second over 1500m.

He was then transferred to Pollard, who gave Subterrain one trial before sending him out for this Eagle Farm assignment, where Subterrain appeared first-up after a four-and-a-half month break from race action.

Pollard selected 1400m as the kick off point for this preparation.

Subterrain raced in fifth place at a comfortable gallop some three lengths off the lead all the way to the home turn, and he was seemingly well enough poised to strike on straightening … but, he raced in tight galloping room, behind horses, with no clear way forward offering itself in the first half of home straight, looking for all of the world that he would struggle to get a run.

You can only imagine Pollard’s heart-rate at that stage.

But perseverance can be a powerful ally in racing, and Ben Thompson never stopped searching for a gap and Subterrain remained focussed enough to stay in the hunt … until, finally, a run was there to be taken, but there was still pressure all round and the no small detail of still having to run down the $14 outsider Duomo who had kicked clear at the head of affairs.

Subterrain dug deep though, and he went past Duomo when it mattered most to score by a 0.58 length margin to give Pollard what will forever be a memorable moment in his training career.