Holyfield poised for another black-type win in Recognition Stakes

By Glenn Davis

It took a track record for Holyfield to deliver a knock out blow to rivals in his latest black-type victory and now the Annabel Neasham stable hopes he can prove it was no fluke in the Listed Recognition Stakes at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Holyfield ran almost one tenth of a second faster than the previous track record - which was held by the Tony Gollan-trained Jonker in 2020 - when he stopped the clock at 1 minute and 07.04 seconds in his dominant win in the Keith Noud Stakes at Doomben on November 12.

Neasham’s stable foreman in Queensland - Todd Pollard - was not surprised with the five-year-old’s victory but the time stunned him.

“To take on a quality Listed field and win in that time was definitely a pleasant surprise,” Pollard said.

Pollard, who has been with Neasham for almost two years, believes Holyfield has taken further improvement from his Keith Noud triumph ahead of his Recognition Stakes assignment.

“The Recognition is a step-up in distance to 1400 metres, which suits him a lot better,” Pollard said.

“He usually improves after his first-up run and the field looks very similar to what he beat last time.”

Holyfield will have his next start in the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm on December 17 before his "grand final" for the campaign in the Magic Millions Cup at the Gold Coast in January.

“He was only just beaten in the Magic Millions Cup this year when he ran second to Eleven Eleven,” Pollard said.

“It’s a perfect distance for him.”

Pollard, who is in charge of Neasham’s stable of 31 horses at Eagle Farm, hopes Holyfield can make it to the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap next year.

“Now that he has won another Listed race his rating has gone up so he should qualify for the Stradbroke this time,” he said.

Holyfield failed to qualify for this year’s Stradbroke Handicap after finishing fourth in the Group 3 BRC Sprint behind Soxagon and eventual Stradbroke winner Alligator Blood.

“He was a bit unlucky in the BRC Sprint which meant he missed out on the Stradbroke but it might have been a blessing in disguise,” Pollard said.

Pollard’s confidence with Holyfield soared after learning Sydney sprinter Kiss Sum would miss the Recognition Stakes to run in the in the Group 3 Festival Stakes at Rosehill.

Kiss Sum is trained by Tracey Bartley at Wyong in NSW and took out the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic at Eagle Farm in June.