Stradbroke in sight as Gollan guns for Group 1 breakthrough

By Jordan Gerrans

Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan is optimistic his team can taste Group 1 glory at Eagle Farm next Saturday afternoon, with Boomtown Boss, Transatlantic and Martist all trending smartly towards their grand final assignments.

The top Eagle Farm mentor worked Boomtown Boss and Hidden Wealth on the course proper at the venue on Tuesday morning as the pair head towards Saturday’s Group 2 Moreton Cup.

Gollan is eager to back up Boomtown Boss seven days later in the feature event of the 2026 carnival, the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.

The Moreton Cup winner gains an automatic start for Queensland’s premier race.

Boomtown Boss comes through the BRC Sprint where he finished almost six lengths behind the winner, while Hidden Wealth ran eighth in the Chief De Beers in his most recent outing.

The leading Queensland trainer was pleased with the way Boomtown Boss and Hidden Wealth performed in their final tune-up ahead of the Moreton Cup.

“Boomtown Boss obviously was quite unlucky the other day at Doomben,” Gollan said.

“He worked lovely. In the Moreton Cup, he is coming back in trip to 1200 metres, to his favourite track here at Eagle Farm.

“Hidden Wealth has been racing in handicap races with bad alleys and big weights.

“He will get back to the set weights and penalties on Saturday in the Moreton Cup.

“Hidden Wealth worked lovely on Tuesday morning. Both horses are normal, sharp workers and in good shape.”

Gollan has long branded Transatlantic as his main hope for the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap.

The Group 1 champion of the Toorak Handicap late last year could be joined by stablemate Boomtown Boss in the 1400 metre sprint on Saturday of next week.

Transatlantic led in last Saturday’s Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup before finishing a touch over a length behind Headley Grange.

“Transatlantic, I thought he was really good on the weekend. Still, he drops four kilos now to the Stradbroke,” Gollan said.

“He will be third-up in the Stradbroke; he'll be peaking on the day. Whatever conditions we get, we're happy with. 

"But, he's peaking.

“He's my top seed for the ‘Straddy’. And, if Boomtown Boss can get through this weekend, he'll be another formidable ally for him.

“It’s a last throw at the stumps for Boomtown Boss to qualify for the Stradbroke.

“Unfortunately, the other day in the BRC Sprint, he just never got out.

“He got into a lovely spot and just couldn’t get out of trouble and that often can happen around Doomben.

“Getting him back to the bigger track at Eagle Farm, where he definitely reserves his best racing for and knowing that he has a good feel of the blinkers going on the other day, he should be spot on.

“The idea is to try to get him into the ‘Straddy’ and if not then we will look at other routes in the carnival.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Transatlantic is a $15 shot with the bookmakers for the Stradbroke Handicap.

Boomtown Boss has been well-backed to claim the Moreton Cup on Saturday.

The Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap is not the only elite-level event on offer next Saturday with the J.J. Atkins for the juveniles also set to be contested over a mile.

Gollan’s colt Martist has put in two encouraging runs in the Spirit Of Boom and Sires’ Produce, which are both Group 2 events, ahead of the J.J. Atkins.

The son of Trapeze Artist has placed on both occasions, which Gollan feels could have been higher finishes if things had panned out Martist’s way.

“I think Martist is using all his bad luck up now so he can get all the good luck in the J.J.,” Gollan said with a smile.

“Both his runs have been great.

“The Spirit Of Boom run was fantastic. It was nearly a carbon copy again on the weekend as he just did not get room when he needed it. 

"But, he still finished off really well.

“He's got the mile. He's crying out to get to the mile here at Eagle Farm. So, I am really happy with Martist.”

Martist is an $8 chance with the bookmakers for the J.J. Atkins as of Wednesday afternoon.