Some of Australian racing’s biggest names ramped up their spring campaigns on Monday and Antino (NZ) (Redwood) hinted that maybe he is ready to step into the top echelon with an impressive jumpout at Cranbourne.
The Queenslander pressed his Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) claims with a solid hitout against Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai).
The leading Horse Of The Year contender won the 800m trial narrowly, but had Antino closing late under little riding from Jamie Kah.
The performance affirmed Antino’s liking for the Melbourne way of going and revived Tony Gollan’s hope that he might be set to break his Group One hoodoo.
“In a season of a lot of winners last year, I just felt without winning a Group One with him it didn’t feel like a good season,” Gollan recently said of Antino, a winner of 10 of his 17 starts.
“I felt like I didn’t get the job done, to be honest, so he’s been the negative in what has been a good year so it’s really unfinished business
“I really want to win a Group One (with him). I’m under no illusions of how strong the Memsie is going to be, I know what’s in it and it’s a hell of a strong race.
“But he loved his time in Melbourne last year, he raced really well on his Melbourne leg and I’m keen to see if he can mix it with the better horses.”
There will be no shortage of them waiting for him in the $750,000 Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31, headlined by Pride Of Jenni and last year’s winner Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars).
