3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes following Antino winning the Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday.
Race Result:
1st: Antino (T Gollan/B Shinn) - $4.80
2nd: Craig (T Busuttin & N Young/Craig Williams) - $10
3rd: Alsephina (G & A Williams/J McNeil) - $19
Winning Time: 1:35.24 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 6-½ lengths x Short Neck
WHAT A RIDE FROM BLAKE SHINN!
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 12, 2024
Antino goes from last to first in the Toorak Handicap! @tonygollan @blake_shinn pic.twitter.com/bwIM9WCMmD
Winning Trainer: Tony Gollan
Early in the race: "I was really worried, obviously. Dawdled out, Blake did say before the race, ' I just want to have him travelling, as long as he can travel well under me then I can get into the race when I'm ready.' We knew the other night off the Moonee Valley run, he tends to stay in a really long run, but I didn't expect him to be quite that - he's a master rider, he's an elite jockey and they make the right decisions more often than not and that's what he did today."
Redemption for last year: "He was brilliant, he was awesome, he' s a really good horse, he's been destined to win a group one and it's just been a matter of when and to win it like that, we came here, it was so close last year, I thought he was just a run short. This year I knew I had him, as good as we' ve ever had him and it was just a matter of luck on the day and he took that into his own hands and got the job done."
On the win: "It means a lot. Very much mixed emotions. We were back last early. Thought we were in a lot of trouble but what a masterful ride by Blake."
The first thing we said after Moonee Valley the other night when we were racing against Pride of Jenni. He can sustain and build pressure in a race. No matter where we landed today, we just wanted to travel and then be able to use that long sustained run and that's what he did. We took off a bit early on him but he can sustain a good gallop for a good while, what a dominant display."
What's next: "Yeah, look this might change things now. I was maybe going to go to the Rupert Clarke, and then to Hong Kong, but I ll just play it by ear. We'll get home and let the dust settle next week, and you know the horse is in the peak of his powers now. It's just a matter of holding him in that condition."
Winning Jockey: Blake Shinn
"Just really delighted to get the win on Antino today. He's been knocking on the door to get that Group 1 and we were hoping today would be the day. You know, we just trusted the horse. He stepped a bit slow but I just rode him conservative and brought him into the race when I felt the speed was slackening a bit. And God, he was strong to the line. So I' m just so happy for G2, his owner, Tony, Baylee, who's down here with the horse, Boomer. There's a lot of people to thank and also the people that are helping me to achieve this result today but all credit goes to the horse. Couldn't have done it without him.
Surprise that Antino handn't won at Group 1 level before today: Full credit to the horse. He's been running well against the top weight-for-age horses of our country in the lead-up runs to this, and I don't think there's a more deserving horse to win this race.
"He trotted out beautifully to the gates, cantered around, and you know, he knows he's won today. He's going to get a kick out of it and hopefully, you know, I think we might be going to Hong Kong after today.
Beaten Jockeys:
Luke Nolen (Desert Lightning): "He's honest. When the winner whipped around us I was going to blend with him but he kept going and he kept going right through the line. My bloke ran honestly for the weight (he had)."
Michael Dee (Another Wil): "Definitely thought leading wasn't ideal, although he did feel comfortable right throughout - he travelled nice and he didn;t pull. Definitely expected better."
John Allen (Light Infantry Man): "He was OK. Didn't have the best run, maybe better for further."
Daniel Stackhouse (Orchestral): "Just didn't have a lot of luck at the right time on the corner when we needed to get out and get going."
Jye McNeil (Alsephina): "She had a nice run and performed terrific."
Patrick Moloney (Bank Maur): No comment offered.
Craig Williams (Craig): "Great performance first time up to that grade. The winner was outstanding and I could see Craig in the future being that type of horse. I thought there was huge upside for a horse that's still developing."
Billy Egan (Jimmy The Bear): "He ran an honest race. For that grade I was happy with him."
Daniel Moor (Magnaspin): "Obviously we were an outside chance but I thought we'd come here today off the back of our last start and perform a little better. Just came out of my hands down by the 600 when I needed him to track up."
Damian Lane (Osipenko): "He ran great. Unfortunately we just couldn't get a clear run through from the 500 to the 300, had he done so I feel like he could have run second."
Declan Bates (Wishlor Lass): "She's run OK, but possibly not to her best. We had a nice enough run but didn't really have the horse to capitalise on it today."
