Promising gallopers The Actuary and Knight Mariner showed they are on course for belated big race stardom by helping trainer Tony Gollan set a record for Brisbane metropolitan wins at Doomben.
Gollan held the record at 90 which he set in 2017-18 but the double on Wednesday lifted his total for this season to 91-1/2.
He now has his sights on becoming the first trainer to record 100 Brisbane metropolitan winners in a season.
Gollan rated The Actuary and Knight Mariner as genuine big race horses this season but for various reasons it has taken time for them to record wins.
Ridden a patient race by Baylee Nothdurft, The Actuary ($3.20) came from well back to win the TAB 2YO (1350m).
Knight Mariner ($1.90), who was also ridden by Nothdurft, came from near last early to win the Mitavite 3YO (1350m).
Gollan rated The Actuary, a Sebring filly who cost $450,000 as a yearling, as one of his main hopes for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January.
“She just didn’t come up for the Milions. We turned her out for a good spell and she has come back a stronger filly,” Gollan said.
“We took the blinkers off today and she showed she has a bright future as the races get longer. I expect her to be a good three-year-old.”
Knight Mariner, who is by to staying sire Tavistock, was earmarked as Gollan’s Queensland Derby horse but injury intervened.
“We had him set for the Brisbane three-year-old summer staying series but he needed a knee chip operation,” Gollan said.
“He had a good spell. We gelded him and put blinkers on him and with the Derby scrapped we took our time with him. Watch for him next season as a stayer.”
The Actuary and Knight Mariner race in the colours of long time Gollan supporter Brian Siemsen, who is part of different ownership groups for the horses.
Green Jacket ($5) also continued the Trent and Toby Edmonds partnership’s big season with his win in the Roku Gin Hcp (1350m).
It was their 121st Australian winner for the season and their 101st in Queensland, a haul which includes 58 in metropolitan areas.
Veteran jockey Michael Cahill followed his feature race double for top trainer Chris Waller last Saturday with another win for the stable when Savaspur ($5) won the Eva Air Hcp (1350m).
“Savaspur was a bit hard to follow in Sydney but he has thrived since arriving in Queensland,” stable foreman Brett Killion said.
