Most Important victory but Tyzone looked good
WINTER duffer Most Important capped a huge day for premier trainer Tony Gollan and brought himself to the brink of being officially recognised as a “millionaire” with his win in Saturday’s Keith Noud Quality.
It was Most Important’s 10th career win and of those, eight have come in the months between October and January.
“He just comes back in the summer and runs so well. He loves these summer tracks,” Gollan said.
“He’s a really good horse, he loves this time of the year, he always fires and I really hope he’s got a big summer ahead of him. To do that with 60kg today was a big effort.”
Cairns-owned Tyzone raced wide throughout the Keith Noud Quality, hitting the line hard, to finish an encouraging fourth in his first-up run. The former Roy Chillemi trained gelding made up plenty of ground down the outside of the Doomben track to just finish outside the placegetters, just over two lengths behind the winner.
Most Important has already won connections more than $1.4 million, but with $500,000 of that being a bonus won in 2016, official records have him now at $966,000.
Gollan conceded stablemate I’m A Rippa looked the likely winner when he led at the halfway point in what looked a modest tempo.
“When the (first half) sectional came up 35, I thought I’m A Rippa would win to be honest,” he said. “Brad (Stewart) did the right thing to cross and go to the fence, sectionals support that, they’re home in 33.64 and the other horse was just too good on the day.”
With his 60kg, Most Important conceded weight to all rivals.
Gollan admitted he was anxious before the race, as storms closed in on Doomben, threatening to downgrade the track.
But the rain held off long enough for the son of red hot stallion I Am Invincible to run to his best.
“To the horse’s credit it was just a huge win. You could see Jimmy was waiting and waiting and didn’t want to go, he was half exposed,” Gollan said.
“He’s got a lot of improvement to come.”