Gollan Hopeful Temple Of Boom Can End Winning Drought

Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan is hopeful that Group 1 winning sprinter Temple Of Boom can end a twelve race losing streak when he contests the Group 3 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Temple Of Boom

Temple Of Boom is chasing his first victory since his win in the 2012 Group 1 The Galaxy. Photo by: Taron Clarke

Temple Of Boom has not been victorious since his breakthrough win in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) during the 2012 Autumn Racing Carnival but returned to his best form with a second place finish behind Broken in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).

The Piccolo gelding battled on strongly in the final stages of the race and according to Gollan has come out of his first-up run in excellent condition.

“He has trained on great,” Gollan told Racing Ahead.

“He had a jump-out last Friday just to keep him ticking over and I couldn’t be any happier with him.”

The Bobbie Lewis Quality is set to be a tough race, with Show County Quality (1200m) winner Rebel Dane included in the nominations, but Gollan is confident Temple Of Boom is a winning chance, although he admitted that a bit of rain would increases the seven-year-olds chances significantly.

“We would like a bit of sting out of the ground on Saturday but that doesn’t look likely,” Gollan said.

“That’s the only stumbling block with him.”

Temple Of Boom has performed consistently at Group 1 level throughout his racing career and Gollan said he has not ruled out giving the enigmatic gelding another crack at the highest level of racing during the 2013 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, with the recently upgraded Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 27 a possible target.

“I thought that he wasn’t going as good last spring and he was still very competitive in the Manikato and the likes of that,” Gollan said.

“I wouldn’t rule out running him in the Moir but we will get Saturday over and done with first.

“I guess I’ll be guided by weather with this horse, if we get soft tracks I would have a crack at anything.”

Temple Of Boom finished sixth behind Lone Rock in the 2011 edition of the Bobbie Lewis Quality.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.