Zahra to reunite with Antino in G1 All Aged Stakes

Tony Gollan isn’t shy about the challenge ahead for Antino in this Saturday’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes, but believes it’s a necessary first step in a campaign targeting longer races during Brisbane’s winter carnival.

Antino, who had a quiet trial behind Rothfire last week at Eagle Farm, showed enough to convince Gollan he’s ready to launch his prep in Sydney over 1400 metres at Randwick.

“He was getting a bit of kickback in that trial and the data from it is really good,” Gollan told RadioTab.

“He’s not a horse that likes to get back on that Eagle Farm track when it is kicking back a lot of sand but he closed off well and his recovery was good.”

Mark Zahra will ride Antino with Blake Shinn suspended following a careless riding charge. Zahra is no stranger to the gelding, having steered him to second place in last year’s Group 1 Champions Mile at Flemington.

“Mark rode him in the Champions Mile and we are fortunate to be able to get a hold of him,” Gollan said.

Things didn’t go to plan in December’s Hong Kong Mile (1600m), where Antino met severe interference and finished near the tail. That result was in stark contrast to his strong performance in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) earlier in the spring.

With that run behind them, Gollan is confident the gelding can shine over further in the months ahead.

“He’s the fresh legs in the All Aged and building towards the winter carnival,” Gollan added.

“Where his rating is, there aren’t a lot of options and I was keen to give him a good break after what was a really busy winter and spring. He needed to get over such a process.”

The six-year-old is being aimed at the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on May 10, then the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m), with the Group 2 The Q22 (2200m) also on the radar for June at Eagle Farm.

“He is such a relaxed horse and if you look at him in the run, he goes to sleep so he gives himself every chance to get a trip