Gollan raises bar with Vaccine to Pink Ribbon Cup

By Glenn Davis

Champion trainer Tony Gollan believes in-form mare Vaccine should arguably have an unbeaten record for the stable and is confident of raising the bar to the Pink Ribbon Cup at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Vaccine has won three of her four starts for the nine-time premiership winning trainer since owners Glenlogan Park sent her to Brisbane following a short career with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in Sydney.

“We’re very thankful that Glenlogan chose to send her to us after she had a slight injury with Gai and Adrian,” Gollan said.

“The injury was only minor and she’s had four starts for me and arguably should be unbeaten.

“The time she ran fourth at Doomben she was caught wide and was very unlucky.”

Vaccine was also nominated for the Benchmark 75 Handicap on the Gold Coast this Saturday before Gollan decided to raise the bar with the daughter of Not A Single Doubt.

“She showed a lot of ability when she was in Sydney with Gai and Adrian and this is a big step up for her,” Gollan said.

“But, she’s only got 52kgs, which was too hard to ignore.

“She’ll run well and it’s just a matter whether she handles the step up in class.”

With a third consecutive La Nina tipped to arrive in the coming months, Gollan is unconcerned with a soft track rating at the Gold Coast.

“The tracks have been heavy at the Gold Coast a few times lately but she’ll run unless we get a deluge,” Gollan said.

Gollan is hopeful a good showing from Vaccine will vindicate plans to aim her for The Gateway over 1400 metres in December.

Vaccine is coming off a last start win over 1400 metres in a Class 3 at Eagle Farm on August 22.

“Her last run was pretty good and she’s shown now that she can run a strong 1400 metres so The Gateway looks a nice race for her,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gollan will keep a close watch on the weather in Melbourne before confirming a start for Isotope in the Group 3 How Now Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Isotope was a close fourth in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in June before starting her spring campaign with a game sixth place finish in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes at Caulfield last month.

“It was a pretty good run first-up and she’ll improve a lot off that run,” he said.

“It was only a pass mark first-up but rain is forecast down south so I’ll wait and see before deciding if she’ll go around.”