Gollan nominates KO selection in Keith Noud
CHAMPION trainer Tony Gollan has nominated Salateen as a knockout chance to keep his incredible run of victories alive in the Listed Keith Noud Quality on Saturday.
Gollan has won what is the first Listed race of the summer carnival four years in a row and has a vice-like grip on it again at Doomben on Saturday, with his four runners all in the top five chances in the market.
While Garibaldi ($3.50) commands favouritism over his stablemate Proper Rogue ($3.80), Gollan says it is summertime specialist Salateen that could cause the upset.
“The only one who I think will need the run is Vinco ($10),” Gollan said.
“I probably have Garibaldi just ahead of Salateen ($8.50), but her trials have been good and she is going to get a trail just in behind them. It will be good speed with the top weight (Emerald Kingdom), who I am sure will have a few friends up there with him.
“I think off the lightweight, she is a proven stakes performer and I quite like her at 1200m with a low draw.”
While he has won four of his last five starts for Gollan, he believes Proper Rogue would appreciate softer ground than what he will get at Doomben on Saturday.
“He has the fitness on his side but his negativity is that he would be very hard to beat on heavy ground, and we won’t get that this week,” he said.
“It is a big drop down in the weights but a significant increase in class for him.”
Gollan has recently kicked off fruitful summer carnivals for the likes of Jonker and Outback Barbie in the race and expects Saturday to be no different.
With veteran stable stars Baller and Zoustyle out of commission for the summer due to their spring commitments, Gollan says it will be a new batch of horses he brings through the grades this year.
“It is an important race, it is the first Listed race of the summer and it is a kick-off point for those horses who are going to the George Moore if they’re headed that way and I find this is always a good form race if they are,” Gollan said.