Welcome to Shep’s Gold Coast Review, where I’ll dive into the highlights, key moments and horses to follow from Saturday’s Hollindale Stakes Day meeting at the Gold Coast Turf Club.
The 2025 Queensland Racing Carnival moved to the Gold Coast on the weekend, and despite the rain dampening the meeting and ultimately causing it to be abandoned before the last race, the event still showcased some truly amazing performances.
From emerging stars to seasoned champions and a hattrick from Queensland’s leading trainer, Hollindale Stakes Day delivered unforgettable moments that will be talked about for years to come.
Let’s break down all the action from this exciting day of racing!
Beadman blows rivals away in 8 length romp
When your namesake is one of the best jockeys Australia has produced, you would want to be not just good, but exceptional!
The Peter Snowden-trained Beadman, named after Hall of Fame hoop Darren Beadman, produced a performance on Saturday that was certainly befitting of the one they call ‘Dazzler’.
Beadman started the $1.80 favourite in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic and never looked like losing.
Piloted by the world’s best jockey James McDonald, the son of Snitzel went straight to the front to lead comfortably by a length.
Once they entered the straight, ‘J-Mac’ engaged the afterburners and within the blink of an eye, he skipped clear to brain his rivals by a massive 8.3 lengths.
McDonald, who won last year’s edition of the race, was full of praise for the talented two-year-old.
“He’s promised a lot and he’s a beautiful type that rides so well, so he’s got a really bright future,” McDonald said.
“That was a good definition of good speed and sustained speed, and he did that well, and on a tricky track.
“I couldn’t hear them, and that’s a bit of a worrying sign, because I didn’t want to be bloused.
“I didn’t expect him to be that far in front, but I wish I was a little bit softer on him now.
“He’s still learning his craft and he’s a big colt, so he won’t take any harm from that.
“He’ll win another one up here.”
Saturday’s Ken Russell Memorial Classic win was the third time Snowden has won the race with the other two being in partnership with his son Paul.
The legendary conditioner indicated that the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes would likely be Beadman’s next target but wanted the appreciate the gravity of what they had achieved first.
“We’ll soak up what he did today,” Snowden said.
“Seven furlongs won’t be a problem at all for him, so I think we’d definitely look towards the Sires’ with him, for sure.”
On the strength of the win, the Ladbrokes traders wound Beadman’s price into $3.50 for the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and $4 for the Ladbrokes JJ Atkins making the colt who cost $900k as a yearling the new favourite for both races.
Hollindale Hero: Antino Shines in Commanding Victory
Buoyed by trainer Tony Gollan’s advice to “dare to be brave”, Blake Shinn produced a masterclass aboard Antino to deliver a dominant G2 Hollindale Stakes victory.
Antino was last to leave the barriers in the 1800m contest but that didn’t perturb Shinn who was happy to settle at the tail and three-wide away from the kickback.
The 27x G1 winning hoop’s skills were fully on show when he caught his rivals napping by circling them on the home turn to enter the straight in front.
As the rain poured down, the six-year-old son of Redwood charged home to win by 3.5 lengths.
Shinn produced similar tactics aboard Antino to win last year’s G1 Toorak Handicap so he had faith that his bold move would pay off.
“We had to try and come up with something to win the race,” Shinn said.
“I just trust the horse and I have a lot of confidence in Tony as a trainer.
“He told me it’s the fittest the horse has ever been.
“We just rode the horse how he likes to be ridden, let him balance up early and just keep him comfortable which he enjoyed.
“It was a great win.”
It was an emotional win for Gollan who rates Antino the best horse he’s trained.
Gollan admitted that he was doubting his decision to train the striking gelding as a stayer this preparation, but Saturday’s Hollindale Stakes vindicates him.
“I just never really trained him to get a trip until this preparation,” Gollan said.
“I always had him to be a miler, but this (1800m) always felt like it would suit him.
“I put all the groundwork in him right from the minute we got back from Hong Kong to get him ready for the All Age Stakes, then Hollindale into the Doomben Cup, and then maybe, do we dare for Q22 but that’s after the next one.
“I just felt that it’d be remiss of me if I didn’t give him that opportunity, put a good grounding into him and allow him to be a stayer because his pedigree says that this sort of trip and further will suit him.
“So, I’m just so thrilled today, it means a lot this win.”
The dominance of Antino’s Hollindale Stakes win saw the Ladbrokes traders slash his price for the G1 Doomben Cup to $4.
It sets up a mouthwatering contest in two weeks with current favourite Pride Of Jenni.
Annabel Archibald, who won the past four Hollindale Stakes in a row with Zaaki and Numerian had to settle for second with Fawkner who defied his price to run a strong race.
Gollan’s Gold Coast Day Out
Antino’s Hollindale Stakes win was the cherry on top for Tony Gollan who enjoyed a stellar day at the Gold Coast with a winning hattrick.
Queensland’s premier trainer enjoyed his first win of the day in the Listed Silk Stocking with Floozie.
It was the Zoustar mare’s third win in a row and kept her undefeated record intact since joining Gollan’s stable from Victoria.
Angela Jones is one of the best jockeys in Queensland and she proved that with a masterful display from the outside barrier.
By the time they reached the bend, Jones had her mount sitting second, which proved to be a winning move given that the track was favouring those on-speed early in the day.
The four-year-old came under fire in the run home but she had just enough left in the tank to win by a head.
Gollan praised his stable jockey for her sublime tactics.
“I was pretty keen with a lightweight to chance our arm down the back straight and roll up,” Gollan said.
“I didn’t know if we’d be outside lead but it’s Ang Jones.
“She’s got a great knack for getting these horses to begin and get into a good spot.”
Floozie’s value rose significantly with the addition of black-type to her name but Gollan isn’t stopping there and has bigger plans for her deeper into Stradbroke Season.
Gollan has stated previously that she reminded him of his mare Comrade Rosa who won the 2023 G2 Dane Ripper Stakes before competing in the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara and that looks the goal for Floozie.
“I said a couple of weeks ago when she won the first run, she had a bit of a Comrade Rosa feel about her a few seasons ago,” Gollan said.
“She’s just going through the grades nice, and I was very confident I could get to stakes level with her.
“How much further up the chain I can go, we’ll see but I think the improvements still there.
“So we’ll go through this winter, and I’m hopeful to be in a Tiara, but there’s a bit of water to go to the bridge yet.”
Rockribbed saluted in the Listed Australian Turf Club Trophy over 1200m to deliver Gollan his third win of the day.
Piloted by apprentice Emily Lang, who had earlier in the day won aboard Beaux Rumble, Rockribbed went straight to the front and made it a one act affair.
Gollan paid tribute to the amazing association his stable apprentice has with the striking chestnut gelding.
“The horse, jockey, combination is fantastic,” Gollan said.
“I think Emily’s finished no worse than top two on him in her career, so he really responds to her riding.”
Rockribbed is a horse Gollan has a lot of time for and expects to show up throughout the Carnival.
Bosustow storms into Stradbroke Handicap contention
Annabel Archibald admitted to coming close to scratching Bosustow from Saturday’s G3 Gold Coast Guineas due to the wet state of the track.
That would have been a monumental mistake given the colt named after Carlton Football Club great Peter Bosustow went on to make a mess of his rivals in a six-length demolition job.
“I sent Mitho (owner Anthony Mithen) and Macca a message at 6:30am this morning, saying it’s a Heavy Eight, and I’m a little bit worried, because he didn’t handle it at all 12 months ago in the Champagne (Classic) on a Soft Seven,” Archibald said.
“To the boys credit, they wanted to roll the dice and have a crack.
“I’m sure Peter Bosustow was carrying him there, because I really didn’t think he’d enjoy the ground, but that was a very, very dominant win.”
Peter ‘The Buzz’ Bosustow was described as a human highlight reel during his playing days so it was fitting that the horse named in his honour would provide such an exhilarating performance.
The Blue Point colt enjoyed a lovely run behind a hot speed before dashing clear with a furlong to go.
Jockey Josh Parr was giggling to himself in the run due to how well the race panned out for him.
“The moment I found that position on the fence and I was able to allow Zoubaby to go and cross me, just due to the speed of the race, I was really confident,” Parr said.
“He was relishing the ground.
“He pulled me up in there, sort of at the top of the straight and just based on his soft trials, I thought, I hope this track doesn’t make him too vulnerable.”
“But I trusted his ability and I’m glad to get the victory.”
Bosustow has an affinity with the Gold Coast track having won the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in January.
Archibald was proud of her colt’s Gold Coast Guineas win and his career achievements so far, but made it known that there’s plenty more to come for him.
“He’s twice Group One placed, so we’ve got to go one better,” Archibald said.
“We’re here for a three-pronged attack.
“It’s here (Gold Coast Guineas), the Fred Best Classic and then the Stradbroke (Handicap).
“So, we’ve certainly got our eye on the strategy.”
The Ladbrokes traders reacted immediately after Saturday’s win, winding him into $13 for the G1 Stradbroke Handicap.
That places him on the third row of betting behind Joliestar and Benedetta.
Pinito Oaks bound following tough Bracelet win
In pouring rain and with the aid of the track’s lighting, Jason Collett guided Pinito to a tough win in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet.
The Godolphin filly and the Ciaron Maher-trained Amplify broke clear in the straight to duke it out before Pinito drew clear in the final stages to win the 1800m contest by 3.3 lengths.
Such was the difficulty getting through the heavy going, 28 lengths separated first to last place.
Collett sounded like he had been 10 rounds with Mike Tyson following the race such were the trying conditions.
“It was a good effort as she didn’t want to go early,” Collett said.
“I couldn’t see a thing.
“I had two sets of goggles, a visor but I had to get rid of two of them pretty quickly.”
“I was on the back of the right horse and I was able to get a drag into and then flow into nicely.
“Earlier in the day I wanted to be on the inside there, but as the day’s gone on and once we got that rain, I wanted to get off it as quick as I could.”
Godolphin representative Lester Proctor said that the daughter of Trapeze Artist would most likely go to The Roses next followed by the Queensland Oaks.
Pinito is currently a $13 chance with Ladbrokes for the G1 distance feature for the fillies.
Horses To Follow
It’s very hard to take too much away from Saturday’s meeting given the heavy track and the massive margins from first to last.
Obviously, we will want to follow the winners spoken about above, but the following horses produced excellent performances and would be worth keeping track of.
Silk Stocking
Lady Shotgun – settled a long way back before producing the quickest final 800m and 400m of the race
Australian Turf Club Trophy
Need Some Luck – settled a long last but rocketed home in the quickest final 400m and 200m of the race to finish second
Ken Russell Memorial Classic
Sunrays – wasn’t suited by the pattern of the day but flew home in the quickest final 200m of the race to finish second.
Gold Coast Guineas
Tuned – Worked home well in the fastest final 400m of the race. Stable flying
Hollindale Stakes
Fawkner Park, Kovalica, Miss Joelene and Militarize all worked home well behind the dominant winner.