Gollan set for another training record
Trainer Tony Gollan is on target to set a Brisbane premiership record for the third consecutive season after equalling his career-best four winners at Doomben.
Gollan moved to 56 wins with five months of the season remaining after the wins on Wednesday of Ignite The Light ($2.20), Scorcha ($1.90), I’m A Rippa ($5.50) and Dame Van Winkle ($3.10).
It was the third time Gollan has trained four winners at a metropolitan meeting after doing it at Doomben twice previously in April 2015 and July last year.
He broke Bruce McLachlan’s long-standing premiership record with 79 winners in 2014/15 and raised the bar again with 87-1/2 winners last season.
In the five seasons since he moved full time from Toowoomba to Brisbane Gollan has trained 307 metropolitan winners.
“Brisbane has been good to us but I don’t know if I can break the record again as the winter always slows me down,” Gollan said.
“I’m A Rippa was bred by Mary Lee Trivett and she kept a share after he went through the sales ring. There is a metropolitan race at the Gold Coast for him in a fortnight,” Gollan said.
“My wife Jane owns Dame Van Winkle who I think will be a good stayer.”
He said Ignite the Light and Scorcha would probably have one more run in midweek class before pushing on to Saturday racing.
Two of Gollan’s winners , Ignite The Light and I’m A Rippa, were ridden by his apprentice Lani Fancourt.
“There aren’t many harder workers around than Lani and she comes out of her time in October so every winner counts,” Gollan said.
Fancourt’s double took her to 14 winners for the season which is five behind leader Tiffani Brooker in the apprentice’s premiership.
Trainer Chris Munce kept up his good record with jockey Ron Stewart when former Sydney galloper Dot Painting won the Three-Year-Old Maiden (1350m).
Dot Painting was with Bjorn Baker at Warwick Farm and has been with Munce for a couple of weeks.
“I didn’t have to do much and the way he worked on Saturday morning I thought he would be very hard to beat. He will win a better race up here,” Munce said.