ANTINO'S QUITE BRILLIANT DOOMBEN CUP SUCCESS

By Graham Potter | Sunday, May 25, 2025

The extraordinary win in the Group 1 Doomben Cup was the arguably the defining moment in the career of,what we would now justifiably call, the champion racehorse Antino.

His champion trainer Tony Gollan knew a long time ago just how good Antino was, labelling him a long way out as the best horse he has trained… which is saying something. Not only did Gollan make that early call but, such was the depth of the impression that Antino had made on him, that he never wavered once in his rating of the horse, even when Antino hit a few speedbumps along the way.

And, boy, how Antino has repaid the faith and confidence shown in him.

His winning performance in the Doomben Cup was nothing short of remarkable.

Coming from twelve lengths back at the 800m, as his supposed main rival Pride Of Jenni followed her expected script by scorching away in front, Shinn only started sending Antino forward in the middle of the sweep to the home turn.

From ground level, that forward move … made all of four wide … looked like Antino had been slingshot into the race. A higher view showed that while Antino did enjoy a rapid rate of progress, there was no rush, no stress involved.

It beggar’s belief how he could stroll past so many well performed runners seemingly with the minimum of fuss but, apart from the initial squeeze to get Antino to lengthen his stride, Shinn wasn’t urging him on. He was guiding him. Antino seemed to know exactly what was required of him.

That move took Antino into the lead as early as the top of the home straight. When he came up to, and went past Pride Of Jenni, who had been under desperate riding by Craig Newitt as the mare’s lead evaporated, the long-touted theory that the Doomben Cup would come down to a two way battle between these two profile horses was put to bed early.

Pride of Jenni was gone … or, as Newitt put in his post-race interview, “… (Pride Of Jenni) got to the bottom pretty quick. She showed a bit of fight when straightening, but when Antino went past so quick, it was almost like the white flag went up.”

Antino had hit the lead with the full length of the straight left to race … but, far from having any concern about getting there too early, that position rather reflected the absolute confidence that Shinn had in his mount … and it was a confidence borne from the knowledge of past experience.

Shinn had made long looping runs on Antino before … most famously in the Toorak when he claimed his first Group 1 win by a tearaway 6,50 length margin, and, more recently, in the Group 2 Hollindale in his warm-up run for the Doomben Cup.

He clearly trusted his horse implicitly and had no qualms about having to lead all of the way over the final 350m … and Antino did the rest.

Antino’s concentrated sustained gallop let nobody else into the race. A length lead at the 250m mark became a three length lead coming through the 200m which Antino then extended to a four length winning margin at the line.

To top in all Antino stopped the clock in 2.00.88 … a new track record!

However you dissect the run … it was a magnificent performance for which everyone involved has to take enormous credit … from Gollan and Shinn … to the owners for trusting Gollan with Antino … to Antino’s trackwork rider Baylee Nothdurft and last, but not least, to the Gollan stable staff and the professional environment they help create.

Both Gollan and Shinn paid tribute to Antino post-race.

“He stamped himself as one of Australia's best weight-for-age horses, particularly at the middle distance. He's a privilege to train and I can't wait to get him to Melbourne in the spring,” enthused Gollan.

And Shinn was also in awe of the horse.

“He's some horse. He told me when he wanted to get rolling about the half mile when I just pulled him off Osipenko's back and it was time to go and, yeah, it was a great feeling. He went from lengths off them to have the race at his mercy about the 400m and I knew he'd keep that gallop up,” said Shinn.

“It's great for Queensland racing to witness Antino at his best here today. It's great for Tony Gollan, and it's great to showcase a horse of his ilk. It's special to be on him.”

Some will want to talk about Pride of Jenni and her future after being trounced in two of her last three starts … but that is a story for another time.

This was Antino’s day and the team deserve to have the spotlight to themselves.

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