Memories of Shane Dye scoring aboard Octagonal at Warwick Farm came flooding back when Blake Shinn produced Antino to win the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.
Shane Dye set Octagonal alight mid-race to claim the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm in 1997, an act Shinn replicated in Saturday’s Group 1 handicap aboard Antino.
Settling in last position, Shinn set Antino alight passing the 700m and by the home turn was reached the pair had hit the front.
Not weakening on his run, Antino ($4.80 in betting) careered away to a 6-½ length victory from Craig ($10) with Alsephina ($19) a short-neck away third.
Antino had the form on the board leading into Saturday’s race, chasing home Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni in his past two starts at weight-for-age.
“I’m really delighted to get the win on Antino today,” Shinn said.
“He’s been knocking on the door to get that Group 1, and we were hoping today would be the day.
“He stepped a bit slow, but I just rode him conservative and brought him into the race when I felt the speed was slackening a bit, and God, he was strong to the line.
“He’s been running well against the top weight-for-age horses of our country in the lead-up runs to this, and I don’t think there’s a more deserving horse to win this race.
“He trotted out beautifully to the gates, cantered around, and he knows he’s won today. He’s going to get a kick out of it and hopefully, we might be going to Hong Kong after today.”
Saturday’s victory made amends for last year’s narrow defeat in the Toorak Handicap at the hands of Attrition who took out the Group 2 Hill Stakes at Rosehill earlier in the day.
Trainer Tony Gollan said he learned from last year to give Attrition an extra run leading into the Toorak Handicap.
“This year I knew I had him as good as we’ve ever had him and it was just a matter of luck on the day,” Gollan said.
“And Blake took that into his own hands and got the job done.
“The first thing we said after Moonee Valley the other night when we were racing against Pride Of Jenni was that he can sustain and build pressure in a race.
“No matter where we landed today, we just wanted to travel and then be able to use that long sustained run and that’s what he did.”
