TOP TRAINER READY TO UNLEASH AT DOOMBEN

By Graham Potter | Thursday, December 30, 2021

It is all systems go for champion trainer Tony Gollan as he gets ready to fire up what he hopes will be an explosive start to the new year when he sends out a formidable team of horses to contest the three feature races on the card at Doomben on New Year’s day.

There is certainly some excitement attached to the return of the likes of Krone and Isotope while Tambo’s Mate will be looking to go on with it after securing his second Recognition Stakes win last start. Then there is Miami Fleiss and Garibaldi, both looking to step up and enhance their respective reputations. Tiger Heart and possibly Salateen (currently and emergency acceptor) complete Gollan’s list of feature race candidates.
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Krone, Isotope and Miami Fleiss will race in the Listed Nudgee Stakes over 1200m.

“Krone was up for the spring and I just wasn’t happy with her,” said Gollan. “She got a bad virus, so I tipped her out. There was an ownership change and she was going to stud. Stud didn’t eventuate though, and we just kept her ticking over. She came back into work which was the plan for the summer. I’m very happy with her. I don’t know what to expect from her first up. She’s never been a mare that has jumped out at me first up. She has always needed the run. That is probably going to be the same on the weekend. If the rain comes it will certainly enhance her chances but, look, she is a Group 1 winner and arguably the quality mare in the race … and I am very happy with the way she is working. It is a lovely tune-up run for the Magic Millions for her.”

“Isotope had colic surgery. She is a much happier horse now,” said Gollan. “I have had a beautiful prep with here. The time away has made her furnish into a really nice mare. She has done really well and provided the track doesn’t get too heavy … as long as it is not an absolute bog … she is probably the one they have all got be beat in the race. I think she is still up there as one of the best horses I have trained. There is no reason, from what I am seeing post-op surgery, that is any different. She is actually a better horse now than she was.”

“Miami Fleiss is obviously a good mare. She hasn’t been at the level the other two mares have been to. Whether she will get to there I’m not sure, but she has got a great record at the moment,” said Gollan. “She is going particularly well but she has got the visitor’s draw again. She is really going to need another eleven out of ten ride from Steph (Thornton). She is going to need a lot of luck in that first furlong when they get to that top corner and try to slot in. She can handle soft, or even into the early heavy range conditions if we get that on the weekend. She has got that residual fitness on board and she is in great health She is a mare I really like but, under the set weights and penalties this week, she has probably got to lift this weekend. This is her stiffest test.”
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Tambo’s Mate and Garibaldi are set to line up in The Buffering over 1350m.

“Tambo’s Mate is going great. He is as tough as old boots,” said Gollan. “I’m very happy with him going into this. He has had a month inbetween runs. He has had a nice trial out at Deagon inbetween. He is fit and healthy. His work has been great this week. He loves soft ground. That’s his friend. He needs soft ground to be competitive in this sort of race. From what I can see it is a very strong edition of this race. It is a strong race but he is drawn low. The jockey (Ryan Maloney) and horse combination is fantastic, They get along so well. He’ll run well. The wetter the ground … the better the chance.”

“Garibaldi has got to step up. He gets to this grade and he has just faltered,” said Gollan. “He was a Stradbroke hype horse during the winter and he has come back in the summer. I think his runs have been good. The 1000m was too short in the track record behind Zoustyle at the Sunshine Coast. He was then dominant at Eagle Farm. He won soft with a big enough weight. This is the ability level I think he has. It is up to Garibaldi to show us what he has got on Saturday. I think he is settling so well now the 1350m is a reasonable goal.”
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Tiger Heart races in the Vo Rogue Plate over 1350m.

“Tiger Heart is going great. I think you will see him appreciate being away from Eagle Farm,” said Gollan. “He was favourite in the Winning Rupert two weeks before the Gold Edition, but he had to be scratched. He went into the Gold Edition with a big gap between runs. He felt the Eagle Farm track badly that day. He didn’t stretch out at all on it, so I’d be very forgiving of that that … and I’m very much looking forward to seeing him back at Doomben. His Doomben form is excellent and any soft ground would be to his advantage.”

And the final word?

“We are happy with the stable’s strong representation, both on Saturday and throughout the whole summer. Hopefully, if things go well, we can keep on winning some more feature races,” concluded Gollan.

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