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Most Important to vindicate Gollan

25 April 2018

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By Glenn Davis

Trainer Tony Gollan is hoping his decision to limit Most Important’s summer campaign will be vindicated when the five-year-old makes his comeback in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.

Most Important has not started since claiming the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup (1400m) in late January and will be aiming to give Gollan his second win in the Victory Stakes - the first Group race of the Brisbane winter carnival.

Gollan quinelled the Victory Stakes in 2014 with the “Boom Brothers” Temple Of Boom and Spirit Of Boom.

The Victory Stakes has attracted a small field of nine runners but it is full of quality with four interstate invaders including last year’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap winner, Impending.

The Victory Stakes will also feature the return of rising star Monsieur Gustave, who won the Group 3 George Moore Stakes at Doomben in December.

“I’m really happy with Most Important and he trialled very well when he won at Doomben earlier this month,” Gollan said.

“I was going to run him in the winter last year but he had a taxing summer campaign and wrenched a joint so I decided to turn him out and aimed for the spring in Melbourne,” Gollan said.

“As it turned out he had two runs at Caulfield in the spring and never handled the track.

“This time I deliberately gave him a light summer with the winter carnival in mind.”

Gollan is aiming Most Important for the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap but won’t hesitate to lower the bar if he doesn’t measure up.

“This is a good starting point for him and he only had three weeks off after his Caloundra win,” he said.

“He’ll heads towards the Stradbroke but he can always come back in grade if he’s not up to the challenge.”

Most Important drew an awkward barrier seven in the Victory Stakes while the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Impending has gate three.

Gollan also has winter plans in mind for unbeaten filly Shamurt who will run in the Listed Dalrello Stakes (1200m).

Shamurt, barrier five, won on debut at Doomben last month before keeping her unblemished record in tact by winning at Toowoomba earlier this month.

“She’s going well and had an easy week after winning at Toowoomba,” Gollan said.

“This is still only her first preparation but all going well she’ll head towards the Sires’ Produce and J J Atkins.

“I was very pleased with the way she worked on Tuesday morning.”

Racing Queensland webnews  April 25