Picture: Bruno Cannatelli
Having completed second in final yr’s Toorak Handicap, coach Tony Gollan is seeking to go one higher with Antino on Saturday.
A slight alteration to the marketing campaign of Antino is what coach Tony Gollan is banking on turning across the fortunes of the gelding at Group 1 stage.
Antino completed second within the Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield final yr and returns 12 months later, with 1kg extra, seeking to go one higher.
The gelding went into final yr’s Toorak at his third run after a Winter marketing campaign in Brisbane whereas this time round he shall be fourth-up.
Gollan believes that further run will give him an edge on Saturday whereas conceding Saturday’s race is not going to be a stroll within the park.
However the coach believes Antino is in profession greatest kind after the gelding completed a 2-¼ size third to Delight Of Jenni and Mr Brightside within the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 27.
That adopted his 4-¾ size third to that very same pair within the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington two weeks earlier.
“The opposite evening was simply what I wished to see from him going into the Toorak,” Gollan stated of the gelding’s Feehan Stakes efficiency.
“He acquired to the race third-up final yr and he in all probability simply peaked a contact earlier than the road, and acquired crushed, so I actually wished to get him there on his fourth run on this time.
“Every part I noticed within the Feehan is what I wished to see for Saturday, and now it’s simply going to be a matter of if he’s ok, I suppose.”
Whereas the Feehan was a small discipline of solely 4 runners, Gollan stated Antino appreciated the stable tempo that Delight Of Jenni offered.
Gollan is once more hoping for a stable tempo in Saturday’s Group 1 handicap that has attracted a discipline of 13 runners through which Antino will leap from barrier eight.
“He doesn’t appear to thoughts racing towards Delight Of Jenni,” Gollan stated.
“He travels on the bridle when she’s out doing her factor, so he doesn’t thoughts that form of stress.
“His sectionals have been nice the opposite evening and there’s no cause why he couldn’t take that kind or a contact higher to Saturday.
“And you realize what Group 1 handicaps are like, you simply want the luck on the day, so ideally, you’d like one thing to set a pleasant tempo, and really hardly ever do they run slowly in Group 1 handicaps.”
Whereas Gollan has not laid eyes on Antino for the reason that Feehan Stakes putting, he has been stored updated with movies of the gelding from Baylee Nothdurft.
“He’s as match as what he must be and it’s only a matter of every little thing going nicely for the following few days,” Gollan stated.
*Current prospects solely. 2nd Racing guess. Excl SA & WA. T’s & C’s apply. Gamble responsibly.
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