Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Race-Day Recap
The Tony Gollan-trained Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) took out the G3 Sandown S. at Sandown-Hillside on Sunday.
Untapped 3-year-old filly Carina Queen (Fastnet Rock) will head towards the G1 Thousand Guineas in November after the exciting Grahame Begg-trained filly won for the second time at Sandown-Hillside on Sunday.
A trio of progressive gallopers returned to their best form on Sunday at Sandown-Hillside. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Hedged (Capitalist) was an eye-catching winner, while Foujita San (Maurice {Jpn}) and The Instructor (Russian Revolution) also reminded onlookers of their talent.
Antino makes amends
After a horror watch on debut in Melbourne last start, Queensland’s premier trainer Tony Gollan was relieved to see his promising charge Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) make amends in Sunday’s G3 Sandown S. at Sandown-Hillside.
The 5-year-old gelding was unplaced but far from disgraced when regular partner James Orman ran out of luck at Flemington in the Listed Sofitel S.
The ride saw Orman replaced by Blake Shinn in Sunday’s Group 3. Sent out a hot favourite, Antino found no traffic and thundered down the vast Sandown-Hillside track to beat Here To Shock (NZ) (Shocking) by 0.4l, while Superium (Verrazano {USA}) was 2.65l away in third.
Shinn told Racing.com post-race, “Nice horse, and his record suggests that. Antino did a good job today (Sunday),” he said.
“He was a little bit slow away and did a few things wrong in the early stages. Getting him to relax and obtain a clear galloping room was essential.
“He was going to win easily at the 300 metres, but he felt he was holding back a touch. However, he delivered in the end and is an exciting horse.”
Blake Shinn, Tony Gollan and connections with Antino (NZ), winner of the G3 Sandown S. on Sunday | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Antino delivered in the end, and he’s an exciting horse.”
Gollan added, “He was given a beautiful run. It was a tradesman-like win today (Sunday).
“But you will see him better in 13 days. He did a good job.”
Begg’s filly has Guineas aims
Grahame Begg’s untapped filly Carina Queen (Fastnet Rock) has a date with the G1 The Thousand Guineas in November after winning at Sandown-Hillside on Sunday.
The promising filly was a winner on debut at Pakenham as a 2-year-old before heading for a spell. Carina Queen returned in September, finishing fourth at Seymour over 1200 metres behind Vivy Air (Hellbent).
Stepping up to the 1400 metres with Michael Dee in the saddle, the filly returned to the winner's circle, denying Enna’s Dream (Winning Rupert) and Moesha (I Am Invincible).
“She’s a filly that we’ve got a huge opinion of,” Begg told Racing.com.
“I’ve held her back because, obviously, the Thousand Guineas is not held until the third week of November.
“The other day at Seymour, she got checked at the start, squeezed out, and got into a pretty awkward position in the race.
Carina Queen | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Carina Queen will probably head to Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day.”
Carina Queen is from the Zabeel (NZ) mare Hot Augusta (NZ). She won five races and is a full sister to the G2 Light Fingers S. victress Adrift (NZ).
Furthermore, Hot Augusta is closely related to the Group 1 winner Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
Carina Queen was a $450,000 purchase by Eden Wong and Anita Chu from the draft of Tyreel Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Promising gallopers show best
While there was only one stakes race on the Sandown-Hillside card on Sunday, the program saw a trio of well-performed gallopers return to their best form.
Starting out the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Hedged (Capitalist) dropped back to 1000 metres after seemingly failing to run out a strong 1200 metres in the G3 McNeil S. where he finished fourth to Veight (Grunt {NZ}).
The lightly-raced 3-year-old ridden by Jamie Kah was a dominant 4.25l winner over Catahoula (Shalaa {Ire}) and Serasana (Snitzel).
Speaking to Racing.com post-race, Kah declared Hedged a ‘dream horse’.
“Hedged is my sort of dream horse to ride out there; he’s push-button and does everything right,” she said.
“I watched him at Seymour, and I texted Michael Kent Jnr straight away and said, ‘I think that’s my horse, that one.’
“I couldn’t stop him when pulling up. He could have gone again. He’s got so much ability, and he’s still working it out; he still doesn’t know what he’s doing, so there’s a lot of upside with Hedged.”
“I couldn’t stop him when pulling up. He could have gone again. He’s got so much ability, and he’s still working it out; he still doesn’t know what he’s doing, so there’s a lot of upside with Hedged.” - Jamie Kah
Price added, “Hong Kong came knocking, but those bloodstock agents couldn’t make a decision, wouldn’t make a decision, so I got messed around and lost a lot of rhythm with Hedged.
“The sale fell through, we’re back on track, and I would say from here you’ve probably got to run him in the Gothic and then have a look at what you do after that.”
Hedged was a $140,000 purchase by Mick Price Racing and Breeding, Roll The Dice Racing and Rogers Bloodstock from the Yulong draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Hedged as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Stepping out over the 1400 metres for the red-hot Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, The Instructor (Russian Revolution) showed no fear of the distance.
The 3-year-old colt had claimed the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (Colts and Geldings) as a juvenile and had been placed in the Listed The Rosebud before failing in the G3 San Domenico and the Listed Poseidon S.
The Instructor, ridden by Jordan Childs, was an authoritative victor by 1.5l from Snippety Legend (Snitzel) and Copacabana (Toronado {Ire}).
The son of Russian Revolution was a $230,000 purchase by First Light Racing Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing from the draft of Lyndhurst Stud Farm at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
A couple of races later, in Race 5, the Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained Foujita San (Maurice {Jpn}) delivered on his early promise by winning the 1800-metre event.
The Group 2-placed 4-year-old had recently been gelded and needed all of Damien Oliver’s skill and strength to defeat Glentaneous (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and Regal Azmon (Magnus).
Foujita San was a $360,000 purchase by International Thoroughbred Solutions from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
