Leading Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan will set his Group 1 winning sprinter Temple of Boom for the 2015 Brisbane Winter Carnival after he was ruled out of the Group 1 $750,000 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in Perth on November 22 because of injury.
Temple Of Boom will be sent to the paddock because of injury and miss the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot in Perth. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Gollan had to abort a trip to the west after Temple Of Boom pulled up sore after running twelfth behind Terravista in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington last Saturday.
The eight year old injured his hamstring in his near-side hind leg during the race and could only beat one runner home and will be sent to the paddock for at least six weeks.
“He will have six weeks in the paddock and miss the summer in Perth,” Gollan told AAP.
Initially Gollan was thinking of a Sydney Autumn Carnival return but added that the tough sprinter might be better suited by another Brisbane Winter Carnival campaign.
“Whether we bring him back for the Sydney autumn remains to be seen,” Gollan said.
“At his age (eight) he is probably starting to get below the Sydney autumn standard and we might keep him instead for another crack at the Brisbane winter.”
Following a great Winter Carnival Temple Of Boom looked to have a good Melbourne Spring Carnival ahead with a first up second in the Group 3 $150,000 Bobby Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 13 but struggled to maintain any form in three runs after that.
The Piccolo gelding finished fifth to Chautauqua in the Group 2 $200,000 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington, sixth to Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 $1m Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley before his twelfth in the Darley Classic.
Temple Of Boom failed by centimetres to be the star of the Brisbane Winter Carnival with photo finish seconds in both the Group 1 $650,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben and the Group 1 $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm.
Stablemate Spirit Of Boom proved too strong in the Doomben 100000 while the brilliance and strength of Damien Oliver was able to lift the Sunshine Coast trained River Lad to score a bob of the head win in the Stradbroke Handicap.
Gollan will still head to Perth with Alma’s Fury who is entered in the Group 1 $1m Carlton Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 22.
The Refuse To Bend seven year old found some nice form at his last two runs in Melbourne with a fourth to Hosting in the Listed $120,000 APT Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 11 followed by a second to Hucklebuck in the Group 3 $200,000 Yellowglen Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on November 1.
The Adelaide trained Hucklebuck then went on to win the Group 1 $1m Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday.
“He had no luck at all in the spring and he wasn’t far behind some top-class horses when he had no luck,” Gollan said.
“I think he has a real chance in Perth.”
Alma’s Fury is currently a $15 chance for the Railway Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au.
