Racing
Antino wins Group 1 XXXX Doomben Cup: Post Race Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Trainer and jockey quotes following the Group 1 XXXX Doomben Cup won by Antino at Doomben on Saturday.
Race Result:1st: Antino (Tony Gollan/Blake Shinn) - $3F2nd: Fawkner Park (Annabel & Rob Archibald/Ethan Brown) - $8.50
3rd: Kovalica (Chris Waller/James McDonald) - $7
Winning Time: 2:00.88 Last 600m: 37.16
Margins: 4L x 1L
Antino is an absolute star! The Queenslander dominates the Doomben Cup for @tonygollan @blake_shinn pic.twitter.com/3GtDfiSKFB
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025
Winning Trainer: Tony Gollan
Win: "He's been the best horse I've trained for some time. Took until last year to win the Toorak, when the Group 1 and from then, I think we've all just got better as a team, haven't we?
"We've done things better and he's gone to another level. What we've seen today is pretty special. It's a pretty good Doomben Cup field. He's won impressively and we can set our sights now on Melbourne in the spring. He's a very good horse, the world class jockey, and I got a world class team helps me get him ready.
Tactics: "Very Exciting, alright? He's heart in your mouth stuff. He doesn't break well, but Blake just lets him get into his stride and then when it's time to go, it's time to go. I just said to him today, I couldn't get him any better. than what he is today and when it's time to go, he'll give it to you today. He's really spot on. At the Gold Coast he was a little bit soft. Today, he's rock fit and that's pretty impressive. That's as good a win as I've been involved in. And it means a lot to the whole team."
Target: "Cox Plate. Yeah, We'll put him away now for the Cox Plate. I think his style of racing, suits a race like that, that amphitheatre there, where they can build and build and build and, you know, why not?
"I mean, he stamped himself as one of Australia's best weight for age horses, particularly at the middle distance. I'm just awfully grateful to G2 and the ownership group, for giving him to me to train.
"He's a privilege to train and I can't wait to get him to Melbourne in the spring."
Winning Jockey: Blake Shinn
Win: "He's some horse. He told me when he wanted to get rolling about the half mile when I just just pulled him off Osipenko's back and it was time to go and, yeah, it was a great feeling. He went from about seven (lengths) off them to have the race at his mercy about the 400m and I knew he'd keep that gallop up."
"It's great for Queensland racing to witness Antino at his best here today. It's great for Tony Gollan, and it's great to showcase a horse of his ilk. It's special to be on him."
Cox Plate: "I think he's ready for it. Look, obviously he's gonna tackle Via Sistina and the like, but I think he's at an age now and he's had some hardened racing against Mr. Brightside and Pride Of Jenni. Tony's just nurtured this horse. He's at the peak of his powers. It's's just great to be associated with him, and I feel very honoured."
Beaten Jockeys:
Nash Rawiller (Lindermann): "He had a couple of tough runs which brought out the best of him. Not everything went right the other day with that heavy track and he's shown a few signs that he's got to the end of it.
Ethan Brown (Fawkner Park): "Great run. He was just a bit awkward into stride. Shuffled back a bit further than what I would have liked but the way the race panned out, I don't think it really mattered. Antino was too good on the day. Good effort and he'll be suited of over 2200 next start. He is capable of turning the tables under the right circumstances."
Ryan Maloney (Bois D'argent): "He ran his good, usual honest race. Probably just a bit too sharp for him when the pressure went on."
Tommy Berry (Militarize): "He's going well. He just looks like he's looking for further now. Still hitting that flat spot from the 1600 to the 1400 and then he was really good in the straight. Something like the Q22 would suit.."
Jason Collett (My Oberon): "Soft enough run but just had that distance too far."
James McDonald (Kovalica): <Unavailable for comment>
Tim Clark (Eliyass): "Probably a little bit disappointing again. I did have to do a bit of work early from that gate in what was obviously a very fast run race. That left him a bit vulnerable late."
Kerrin McEvoy (Osipenko): "He ran a good race. He was wide the trip and stuck on. He was quite brave."
Matthew Poon (Klondike): "Really happy how ran. Just a little bit further, I expect. He tried hard and ran well. Next start a bit further, he'll run much better."
Craig Newitt (Pride Of Jenni): "Disappointing. She was a little bit cantankerous pre-race today, probably just in front of the crowd. She stepped slow so I had to ask her to muster up and she got into a good rhythm and everything was fine. Got to about the 1000 and started to quicken her up - a little bit like Flemington a couple of starts ago - got to the bottom pretty quick. She showed a bit of fight when straightening but when Antino went past so quick, it was almost like the white flag went up."
Cejay Graham (Miss Joelene): "Her toughest task to-date but I thought she ran a cracker of a race . She didn't love that horse three-deep laying in on her. She hit a bit of a flat spot at the 600 (metre mark) but she was tough late."
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