Antino ‘on the way back’

Says unlucky charge on target for autumn tilt

Tony Gollan has declared Group 1 hard luck story Antino back on track ahead of a bumper winter carnival, with the champion trainer convinced he pulled the right lever in aborting plans for an autumn campaign.

Antino trialled up at Doomben on Thursday, with Gollan saying he is in a much better place than what he was before the autumn as he aims up at winning his first Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. While he was beaten 3½ lengths by stablemate Zarastro, Gollan has no concerns about his return to the track, saying it was a better trial than what it looked to the naked eye.

“I thought that he was really good, he has never been a trial horse but he stepped away well and it was the quickest time of the morning,” he said.

“Had he been in one of the other trials, he would have been a lot closer, he has a lot of improvement in him.”

After turning in an ordinary trial in February, Gollan made the bold call to call off his Doncaster Mile campaign and shoot for the stars at home instead.

“The most important thing is that he looked really good after it and trotted up well the following day, I am very happy with him,” he said.

“He stepped away and wanted to take a position, it was so much better than what we saw going into the autumn.

“I am lot happier this time around, at this stage he will go to the Victory Stakes (on May 4), he will have another jump out between now and then.”

“I would imagine we would then go a month into the Kingsford Smith (Cup).”

Antino was one of a team of winter carnival hopefuls to trial for Gollan, with 2023 Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Skirt The Law also bouncing back to form after undergoing knee surgery last year.

Skirt The Law burned the turf in a sharp 1000m trial, which saw jockey Ryan Maloney ease her up over the concluding stages.

“She stepped away really well, which she wasn’t doing right in Melbourne,” Gollan said.

“She didn’t leave an oat after the trial, she ate well, so it hasn’t knocked her around.

“She is only having the one trial before the Mick Dittman Plate (April 27). She is very fit for the 1000m.”

The Mick Dittman Plate shapes as a showdown between Queensland’s best three-year-olds, with Rob Heathcote’s Magic Millions 3YO Guineas winner Abounding also set to kick off her winter campaign there.