Trainer Tony Gollan was lost for words after his favourite horses, Spirit Of Boom and Temple Of Boom, ran the quinella in the Group One Doomben 10,000 on Saturday.
Gollan stood stunned as family and connections went wild when the equine brothers charged to the line in a thrilling finish.
At the end, and in an all-Queensland finish, equal favourite Spirit Of Boom ($4.80) had a half neck to spare over Temple Of Boom ($26).
There was another head to the other equal favourite Buffering ($4.80) who finished third after leading.
Gollan has carefully nurtured the careers of the half brothers who have now won a combined $3.6 million, and 20 races, including three Group Ones.
“I usually have a lot to say but I am just speechless. These horses mean so much to me,” Gollan said.
“It is the best moment of my life. To share this with my family and friends. The brothers have been terrific for five years now.
“Every time they race they put in. It will be a sad day when both leave the stables.”
Spirit Of Boom is now likely to have his farewell race in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap on June 7.
After that he will stand at Eureka Stud on the Darling Downs.
Winning jockey Michael Rodd made a triumphant homecoming to win the race.
Rodd did his apprenticeship on the Gold Coast but has been riding in Melbourne for more than a decade.
“I was going well on the fence and I just hoped that Temple Of Boom would keep going so I could get out,” Rodd said.
“These horses are really special and Tony deserves all the credit in the world with them.”
Rodd said as an apprentice he had dreamed of winning a Doomben 10,000 or Stradbroke.
“Who knows we might even get the double now,” he said.
Temple Of Boom’s rider Tegan Harrison said she got “pretty excited” when she levelled up with Buffering but out of the corner of her eye she could see his brother looming.
“It was only the last little bit he got me,” she said.
Damian Browne said Buffering’s effort was much improved and he showed plenty of fight.
“The last 100 metres probably finds him out and I would leave a decision on whether he goes on to the Stradbroke to Rob (Heathcote) and the connections,” Browne said.
Rebel Dane turned in a great trial for the Stradbroke with a fast-finishing fourth.
| Race 8 – 3:40PM JAMES BOAG’S PREMIUM DOOMBEN 10,000 (1350 METRES) |
|---|
| Of $650,000.1st $416,000, 2nd $130,000, 3rd $65,000, 4th $26,000, 5th $13,000 GROUP 1 Standard Weight for Age, Apprentices cannot claim.Track Condition: Good 3 Time: 1:17.93 Last 600m: 0:34.33 Timing Method: Electronic INTERIM RESULTS |
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | SPIRIT OF BOOM | Tony Gollan | Michael Rodd | 2 | 59kg | $4.80EF | |||
| 2 | 3 | TEMPLE OF BOOM | Tony Gollan | Tegan Harrison (a) | 0.2L | 4 | 59kg | $26 | ||
| 3 | 1 | BUFFERING | Robert Heathcote | Damian Browne | 0.4L | 8 | 59kg | $4.80EF | ||
| 4 | 4 | REBEL DANE | Gary Portelli | Glen Boss | 0.8L | 10 | 59kg | $4.80EF | ||
| 5 | 8 | KNOYDART | John O’Shea | Kerrin McEvoy | 1.8L | 6 | 59kg | $9 | ||
| 6 | 9 | SCREAM MACHINE | Jason Coyle | Tye Angland | 1.9L | 1 | 59kg | $61 | ||
| 7 | 10 | DRIEFONTEIN | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 2.9L | 5 | 57kg | $8.50 | ||
| 8 | 5 | HOT SNITZEL | Gerald Ryan | Hugh Bowman | 3.7L | 9 | 59kg | $18 | ||
| 9 | 7 | FAMOUS SEAMUS (NZ) | Noel Mayfield-Smith | Ryan Wiggins | 4.1L | 3 | 59kg | $8.50 | ||
| 10 | 11 | PERON | John P Thompson | Timothy Bell | 5.4L | 7 | 57kg | $15 | ||
| 11 | 6 | CONSERVATORIUM | Gary Kennewell | Joe Bowditch | 6.2L | 11 | 59kg | $41 |