Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The Eagle Farm-based Gollan was bullish about the prospects of Snitch at Ipswich and the chestnut didn’t let him down with a stirring finish under a fine ride from jockey Ben Thompson in the feature sprint.
Snitch had finished unplaced when resuming at Eagle Farm last month, although Gollan was delighted with the performance from a horse that has never starred when fresh, but is a past second-up winner.
“It’s fantastic and we were very confident with him. His first-up run was great and I thought he would run well as his work had been terrific,” he said.
"It’s fantastic and we were very confident with him (Snitch). His first-up run was great and I thought he would run well as his work had been terrific." - Tony Gollan
“I was talking to his owner Tony Khoury during the week and a shout out to him because he couldn’t get here due to the Melbourne COVID situation.
“We had a lot of confidence, we were obviously worried about Amish Boy, and everything opened up and I thought Ben rode him beautifully.”
Snitch settled behind the leading division and rounded off strongly for the 10th win of his 40-start career with the front-runner Axe (Written Tycoon) clinging grimly to second money ahead of Right Or Wrong (Manhattan Rain).
The favourite Amish Boy (Star Witness) got home well between runners for fourth after drifting well back in the running.
“There was good speed in the race and I saw where Amish Boy was and I was happy with my bloke’s spot and it’s really good to get the job done,” Gollan said. “We got the room and he’s a horse that doesn’t like tight runs so it worked out perfectly.”
Gollan first tasted success in the Eye Liner with Alma’s Fury (Refuse To Bend {Ire}) in 2014 with Jim Byrne in the saddle and he also rode the stable’s 2018 victor I’m A Rippa (Love Conquers All).
“I know how good a race this is and they are so hard to win. They are up-tempo races and I am just fortunate to have the horse this year that had the right run,” Gollan said.
Filly keeps perfect record
Earlier in the program, the progressive filly Palaisipan (So You Think {NZ}) kept her unbeaten record intact with a strong performance in the Schweppes TL Cooney 3YO.
Trained by Chris Munce, the filly came into the event with three victories in weaker company and she lifted to another level for rider Craig Williams in a competitive age group event.
Palaisipan initially failed to meet her $100,000 reserve at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and Munce subsequently secured her for $40,000 when sold by breeder Gooree Park Stud at its Magic Millions Reduction Sale.
She is a daughter of the unraced Touch Of Red (Fastnet Rock), who is out of the Listed Triscay S. winner Kiss From A Rose (Encosta De Lago). She is a three-quarter sister to the ill-fated G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Northern Meteor and half-sister to G2 Todman S. winner and Twin Hills Stud sire Smart Missile.
Palaisipan sat close to the pace and, after hitting the front 250 metres from home, hung on grimly to beat the favourite Palladas (I Am Invincible), who roared home after missing the jump.
Dzsenifer (Scissor Kick) didn’t have the best of luck in the straight and wound up third with Tumbler Ridge (Spill The Beans) a fast-finishing fourth.
