Temple Of Boom can wrap up a terrific nine days for trainer Tony Gollan if the seven year old can win his second Group 1 $400,000 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Temple Of Boom is set to win his second The Galaxy. Photo by Steve Hart.
Gollan collected his second Group 1 victory with Temple Of Boom’s half-brother Spirit Of Boom by the narrowest of margins in last Friday night’s Group 1 $400,000 Hacer Group William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Temple Of Boom, who won The Galaxy in 2012, is one of sixteen sprinters nominated for 1100m Open Handicap sprint which includes last year’s winner Bel Sprinter, Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning winner Snitzerland and last start Group 2 Challenge Stakes winner Villa Verde.
Gollan clearly puts the success of his two Group 1 winners as the catalyst to the building up of his career that has taken him from Toowoomba where he kicked off to a well-established trainer at Eagle Farm.
“I wouldn’t like to guess what those two horses have done for my career,” Gollan told News Limited.
“I would have been lucky to have 20 horses (at Toowoomba) when I bought Temple for $40,000 (in 2008) and syndicated him.
“Now we’ve got 54 boxes at Eagle Farm and it’s been a big ride.
The former Downs trainer is currently sitting in second position on the Brisbane trainer’s premiership ladder with thirty-four wins, one behind Matthew Dun and three and a half in front in of reigning premiership holder Robert Heathcote.
Temple Of Boom, a noted mud runner, was beaten less than two lengths by Villa Verde in the Group 2 $400,000 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on March 15 and Gollan can’t wait for Saturday to roll around with showers forecast for Sydney for the remainder of the week.
“They’ve forecasted eight days of rain in Sydney and he has come through his first-up run in the Challenge Stakes in really good shape,” Gollan said.
“We’re just looking for a nice wet track for him at Rosehill and if he gets those conditions there is no reason he won’t run well.
“His first-up run was terrific and he is going as good as he was when he won The Galaxy two years ago.”
Gollan said that he finds it hard to split Temple Of Boom and Spirit of Boom who, when at home, are stabled beside each other, but he has a soft spot for their mother Temple Spirit.
“They are stabled beside each other and do a lot of travelling together but I think Temple likes Spirit more than Spirit likes Temple,” Gollan said.
“Spirit is happy just getting mucked around by his groom and doesn’t need much attention from other horses but Temple loves attention from other horses.”
“I can’t split them and their mum, Temple Spirit is probably my favourite horse I’ve ever trained.”
“But I’ve got a soft spot for both horses and I suppose they are like kids to me.
“I don’t have any kids and I’ve just got them two.”
Temple Of Boom has already won $1.3m in prizemoney from ten wins, six seconds and six thirds from forty-five starts and can add another $240,000 to the coffers if he can win The Gallaxy for a second time.
