BOOM SPRINTER FLIES IN GILGAI
Media Release
Sunday, 2 October, 2011
For immediate release
Star Toowoomba based sprinter Temple of Boom will be aimed at the Salinger Stakes after enhancing his outstanding record with a stunning win in today’s Group Two Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
Prepared by Tony Gollan, Temple of Spirit was allowed to find his feet during the early and middle stages of the race before coming with a paralysing burst over the final 400 metres to win impressively.
“He’s a horse who likes the sting out of the ground – we got it today and he went really good,” Gollan said.
“He got stuck without cover last start and that was the main thing today, to get in and get some cover.”
“I thought at one stage he was back a bit too far, but when he got out he really let down for us and he was terrific.”
“The Salinger (Stakes) is probably our main aim,” he added. “Hopefully we’ll head towards that and hope the gods will be good to us.”
Gollan thanked the Malua Racing team of Troy Corstens and John Sadler for looking after his star during trips back to look over the remainder of his team at Toowoomba.
“They’re done a really good job with him over the last four weeks.”
Temple of Boom was ridden to victory by record breaking New Zealand based apprentice James McDonald.
It was a welcome turn of luck for McDonald after he lost his major Cups ride when Scarlett Lady was sent off for bone chip surgery in recent days.
“I probably got a bit too far back today,” McDonald reported. “But that seems the way to ride him – save him up for one last run.”
“He does enjoy the give in the track and he was very much suited today,” he added.
“He overraced quite badly today – but things were much better today. We were expecting a big run today and he came out with it.”
The gelding has come a long way since being purchased by Gollan for $40,000 at the 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
With nine wins and eight placings from just 24 starts, his earnings have raced to over $850,000.
The star galloper was bred by the McAlpine family’s Eureka Thoroughbreds in Queensland and they bought back into him after his sale at the Gold Coast.
Temple of Boom, by Warning’s Nunthorpe Stakes winning son Piccolo, is one of two stakes winners produced by Temple Spirit.
A daughter of Special Dane, Temple Spirit won eight races and earned back type with a third placing in the listed Golden Garter Handicap in Brisbane.
As well as Temple of Boom she is the dam of the Ken Russell Memorial Classic winner Spirit of Boom – a four time winning stablemate of today’s sprinting star.
Winner: Temple of Boom
Breeding: Piccolo-Temple Spirit (Special Dane)
Race: VRC Gilgai Stakes G2 (1200m)
Sold for: $40,000
Sale: 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Eureka Thoroughbreds
Buyer: Tony Gollan
Earnings: $851,995
Owner(s): Mrs P Gollan, Eureka Stud Syndicate (Mgrs: C & S McAlpine), A Gamble, J Riddle, B Siemsen, A Dunemann & J Schloss
Trainer: Tony Gollan (Toowoomba)
