Trainer Tony Gollan is in no rush to get expensive colt Garibaldi to Sydney despite his easy debut win at Eagle Farm.
Garibaldi ($2.80) sat behind the early leaders to the turn but came away in the straight to beat his stablemate Ready To Roam ($21) by 1-1/2 lengths with 1-1/4 lengths to Raging Pole ($12) in the Lunar New Year Handicap (1000m).
A $475,000 buy at the Inglis Easter Sales, Garibaldi lived up to his barrier trial win during the week to set sail for the Sydney autumn two-year-old races.
Gollan hopes Garibaldi will measure up to the Golden Slipper on March 23 but intends to give him every chance to take things easy.
“I had him in the Canonbury Stakes at Rosehill today but elected to stay here. As it was, the track was a soft seven and we would have had to travel,” Gollan said.
“He is going to Sydney but I am not going to rush down there. The lead-up to the 2019 Golden Slipper always has plenty of lead-up races and we will pick the right one for him.”
Garibaldi is yet another top horse by boom sire I Am Invincible and Gollan said he was the pick of the colts at last year’s sales.
“He really is a lovely horse and as you saw today he has a heap of ability. We have been able to put together a strong syndicate,” Gollan said.
Jockey Jim Byrne said Garibaldi had been able to get into a nice position before the turn and was too good.
“Tony told me to give him plenty of galloping room and I was able to do that in the straight,” Byrne said.
Byrne was stood down for the rest of the day after injuring a shoulder in the race.
