Premier trainer Tony Gollan marked the birth of his first son with A Man To Match’s win in the $250,000 The Wave at the Gold Coast.
A Man To Match ($15) finished powerfully to win in a three-way photo from Trevelyan ($8) and Fun Fact ($7).
Gollan’s wife Jane presented him with a boy, Boyd John, a younger brother for daughter Jamieson, on Friday and the trainer was sporting an even bigger smile after The Wave.
“I visited Jane and the baby this morning and she said he would bring us luck today,” Gollan said.
The Wave is a new race run at weight-for-age for three and four-year-olds which carried a $200,000 bonus for Magic Millions paid-up horses.
It meant A Man To Match collected $340,000 in prize money and bonus payments for owners Linda and Graham Huddy.
The Huddys have had a lot of success with stayers including the Derby winners Shoot Out and Preferment.
However, they get an extra buzz from winning races in their home state of Queensland.
“They deserve all the success they get and they are great supporters of the Magic Millions,” Gollan said.
The Huddys forked out $300,000 for A Man To Match, a son of sire High Chaparral, at the 2017 Magic Millions sales with the plan to get a top stayer.
Gollan said A Man To Match has been a work in progress but he always felt he would a stayer with time.
A Man To Match now has the option of tackling the Magic Millions Trophy (2400m) or Magic Millions Open (1800m) next Saturday.
“I will make a final decision after things settle down a bit,” he said.
“But at this stage I am leaning to the Trophy.”
Gollan’s apprentice Baylee Nothdurft Rodd an inspired race to win on A Man To Match.
“I was happy Baylee kept the ride because I felt he deserved the chance and the Huddys agreed,” Gollan said.
Nothdurft couldn’t hide his glee as he crossed the line.
“That was my biggest win and what a thrill to do it for Tony and the Huddys,” Nothdurft said.
“They gave stuck with me and we haven’t had much luck in big races until now.”
“You sometimes wonder what you do if you win a big race and now I have won The Wave.”
Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au