The Gold Coast Turf Club received bumper nominations for the Group 2 $358,000 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
2015 winner Leebaz, above, black colours with white cap, is among the nominations for this year’s Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast. Photo by Daniel Costello.
A total of twenty-one horses are entered with Sydney’s top trained Chris Waller suppling eight of them.
Last start Hawkesbury Gold Cup winner Amovatio heads Waller’s team that also includes Moriarty, Strawberry Boy, Kool Kompany, Index Linked, Weary, Beaten Up and his latest European import Spiritjim.
“He (Spiritjim) is a lovely horse and I was pleased with his barrier trial when he ran second,” Waller told AAP.
“He has adapted well to our stable and seems to like the conditions in Australia.”
Gai Waterhouse has nominated Excess Knowledge and confirmed on twitter that the English import would be heading to the Gold Coast this weekend after finishing third in a 1000m Wyong barrier trial on Monday.
“Excess Knowledge enjoyed a solid hit out @WyongRaceClub trials this AM (Monday). Heads North WED for G2 A.D Hollindale Stks,” Waterhouse tweeted.
Team Hawkes have entered last year’s Hollindale Stakes winner Leebaz who has had mixed form over the last twelve months with one win and one placing from ten starts.
Leebaz found his way back into the winner’s stall two starts back with an all the way victory in the Group 3 $150,000 Le Pine Funerals Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on March 26 but was then beaten over sixteen lengths when thirteen to Lucia Valentina in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on the second day of ‘The Championships’ on April 9.
Trainer John O’Shea has nominated three Godolphin owned horses, Hauraki, It’s Somewhat and Old North while David Vandyke, who has just set up a stable at the Sunshine Coast has entered English import Sir John Hawkwood.
The locals will be banking on the Steven O’Dea trained Sir Moments to fly the flag for Queensland after the five year old was narrowly beaten by Leebaz in last year’s Hollindale Stakes.
