Hollindale Stakes return for Le Don De Vie

Jack Turnbull spoke with pride when questioned about Le Don De Vie making a long-awaited return to the racetrack at the Sunshine Coast.

An assistant trainer with the Ciaron Maher stable, Turnbull was full of praise for the imported stayer who makes his return in the Group 2 A D Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on Saturday.

The Hollindale Stakes has been transferred to the Sunshine Coast this year after concerns with the recently refurbished Gold Coast circuit.

Le Don De Vie has not started since finishing second in the Group 1 The Metropolitan at Randwick in October 2022.

The stayer then failed the mandatory CT scans in the lead-up to the 2022 Melbourne Cup.

Turnbull said Le Don De Vie had spent time in Victoria preparing for his return before the finishing touches were applied in NSW where he had two trials, one at Gosford and another at Scone.

“He spent a lot of time down here when he couldn’t run during the spring,” Turnbull said.

“He’d had time off and was well rested and then given the time that he was going to be up, which is now, he made his way to Sydney and further on to Bong Bong as he was going to race in Queensland which is on the doorstep of spring.

“He’s come up well and he’s an interesting horse. He’s very sound, he’s got a good constitution and he’s a horse that loves being active.

“He’s always been ticked over in exercise, but for the time he’s had off, he’s got a good base.

“He’ll want to blow the cobwebs out on Saturday, but so long as he’s finding the line, that’s what we’ll be looking for.”

When Le Don De Vie first came to Australia, he was prepared by Anthony and Sam Freedman, running second in the 2020 Geelong Cup and winning the Warrnambool Cup the following year.

Transferred into the care of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Le Don De Vie won over 1600m at Flemington first-up and then two starts later scored in the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup (2400m) on a heavy track, conditions he is likely to encounter on Saturday.