Gollan ditches blinkers
TRAINER Tony Gollan has taken the blinkers off Garibaldi in a bid to see a better performance from the colt in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas at Aquis Park today.
Garibaldi wore the blinkers for the first time last start when second to today’s rival The Odyssey in a 1200m Doomben 3YO Plate a fortnight ago and the premier Eagle Farm trainer was disappointed with the run.
Gollan said the Garibaldi fired up after being last of the four runners to leave the barriers and failed to settle for jockey Anthony Allen.
He hopes the horse will race more kindly without the blinkers.
“I thought he was poor. He pulled way too hard mid-race with his mouth open with the blinkers on,” Gollan said.
“He needs to settle better so I will take the blinkers back off him. It was a little training error there.
“We will ride him midfield without the hood on and watch him get to the outside and run on.”
“I think he is a better horse than what you saw the other day and you will see that on Saturday.”
Garibaldi was well supported at Doomben last start to beat the odds-on favourite The Odyssey but is at double figure odds at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) today.
Jim Byrne was aboard Garibaldi for his debut win as a two-year-old in February 2019 and will be reunited with the I Am Invincible colt, taking over the reins from Allen.
Exhilarates returns to the Gold Coast for the third time and Sydney trainer James Cummings had added the blinkers to her race-day gear to boost her chances in the Guineas.
Exhilarates stormed home from the back of the field to win the 2019 Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) and then returned this year to finish third behind Alligator Blood in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m).
“The Gold Coast is the scene of her biggest win on a track where she’s won two races, which all has to count for something,” Cummings said.
Robbie Fradd gets the ride on Exhilarates who was out of luck at the barrier draw, coming up with gate 15 in the original draw, but looks like starting from 13.