Redwood’s outstanding son Antino produced a herculean effort off a break to win the G2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm.
The five-year-old hadn’t raced since November and was unplaced in two lead-up trials, but trainer Tony Gollan had him in top order to resume over 1200 metres on Saturday.
The local trainer was given a scare at barrier rise when the gelding was slowly into stride and settled at the tail of the field under new rider Vlad Duric.
“I get nervous when this horse trials, when he jumps out, when he races, everything, because he’s just got so much ability,” Gollan said.
“The one thing I said to Vlad before he went out is that this horse really can sustain a long run – longer than any horse I’ve ever trained and he certainly had to do that.
“Not only was he slow out, but he was off the bridle mid-race and just never travelled. He made really, really hard work of it.
“But I knew, once they got inside the last furlong, they were never going to beat him. He just puts those ears back and he has a go. He’s a different beast. He’s not like any horse I’ve ever trained.
“Full credit to Vlad. He was a late booking for the ride when Mark Zahra got suspended, so he sat on him for the first time on Wednesday and didn’t know a whole lot about him.”
Antino stayed closer to the fence into the straight and produced a spirited finish when asked for his best to by Duric post the 10th victory of his 15-start career.
“That was a massive win and all the plans I thought I had in my head for this race went out the window at the jump. He was off the bridle the whole way and just couldn’t keep up,” Duric said.
“I decided to just switch across to the fence and ride up the fence, and it was a massive performance to get up and win. He was beautiful through to the post and is in for a great preparation.”
Antino will now be set for elite-level features during the Queensland winter carnival.
“He’ll rocket into Stradbroke (G1, 1400m) calculations, if he wasn’t there already. He will probably run in the Kingsford Smith (G1, 1300m) here in a month and that will set him up nicely,” Gollan said.
Bred by the Blossom Trading & Breeding Company, Antino was purchased out of Cheltenham Stables’ New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale draft by New Balance Racing, of Hong Kong, for $27,000.
He is a son of the unraced Bahhare mare Mahamaya, who produced a filly by Tarzino last season, and she is a sister to the G1 Captain Cook Stakes winner Hurrah and the Hong Kong stakes winner and Group 1 performer Best Gift.