Tony Gollan is more concerned by the prospect of a wet track than a wide barrier for speedy mare Sugar Boom in the Gold Coast Quality (900m) on Saturday.
Sugar Boom has drawn the extreme outside in barrier 13 for the Quality but it is the prospect of a genuinely wet track that Gollan is hoping to avoid.
“I’m not overly concerned by the gate,” Gollan said.
“I’m more concerned by the weather. I want the track drier rather than wetter.
“A soft track is fine for me. I don’t want it any worse for her,” he said.
Gollan holds a strong hand in the Quality with four runners, labelling Sugar Boom as the pick of his quartet.
If we’re on the better side of soft, she’ll have no excuses, and she’s probably the pick of my four depending on track conditions,” he said.
Gollan believes Michael Rodd is the right type of rider for Sugar Boom.
“Rodd knows his way around the Gold Coast better than most having done his apprenticeship there and he’ll ride her well,” he said.
“His style of riding with his soft hands and his ability to not bully horses will suit her.”
Tullio, one of Sugar Boom’s stablemates, is resuming from a spell and has drawn perfectly in barrier three with Craig Williams to ride.
“The wetter the better for him,” Gollan said.
“If they were to get a really big storm and track got into the heavy range he’d certainly be elevated to my best chance in the race.
“If they miss the storms and the track gets to really dry it’s unlikely I’d even run him.”
Sugar Boom is a $3.90 favourite with TAB fixed odds for the Quality with Tullio the $4.20 second favourite.
Gollan also is keen on the chances of Pull Anchor (Glen Boss) in the Magic Millions Rising Stars (1300m) on Saturday.
“She’s a very reliable sprinter and you know what you’re going to get from her,” he said.
“She’ll eat the ground up late and really race well.”
