Casual Choice will be the last of trainer Tony Gollan's horses involved in a serious road accident to return to racing
Casual Choice will be the last of trainer Tony Gollan’s horses involved in a serious road accident to return to racing when he tackles the Listed Bribie Handicap at Doomben.
The gelding was one of four horses in a float which tumbled down an embankment at the side of the Bruce Highway while en route to Caloundra races in April.
The three other horses – Frespanol, Jetsonic and Whiskey Allround – have all made it back to racing.
Gollan has no doubt Casual Choice can win more races but isn’t sure it will be in the Bribie (1050m) on Saturday.
“Of the four horses in the accident he was the one who was most affected,” Gollan said.
“He has been back in work for a while but I missed a barrier trial for him at the Gold Coast when they were washed out last week.
“I would be disappointed if he didn’t race well in his comeback run but whatever he does on Saturday he will improve on.”
Before the accident, Casual Choice had won three races in a row including the Gold Coast Stakes.
“He has the class and I think he will run at Eagle Farm again in a fortnight at 1000 metres and then step up to the better 1200 metre races,” Gollan said.
Casual Choice is one of three main chances Gollan has in feature races on Saturday.
He also has Frespanol in the Listed Brisbane Hcp (1600m) and Most Important in the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m).
“They both have a bit of weight but the fields aren’t big in either race for good prize money, Gollan said.
“Frespanol has ended up with top weight and probably isn’t well off against Desleigh Forster’s horse Cylinder Beach.
“But he didn’t have much luck behind Cylinder Beach in the Recognition Stakes and he does have a good record at 1600 metres.”
Gollan also thinks Most Important isn’t well off at the weights against another of Forster’s horses, Too Good To Refuse, in the Lough Neagh.
“Most important went up 15 points for winning the George Moore Stakes and he has got 56 kilograms on Saturday. I would have thought we would have gone up a few points less in the ratings and still been on 54,”Gollan said.
“It means we have to give Too Good To Refuse two kilos. But Most Important is racing very well and he does like Doomben.”
