Queensland’s premier trainer rolled the dice in giving Boomtown Boss one more run while making the trip to Melbourne has been vindicated with victory in the first black-type feature for the new racing season, the Aurie’s Star Handicap.

Gollan decided to make the move after a luckless Brisbane winter carnival and whether the 1200-metre Group 3 event would tell him whether Boomtown Boss ($13) still had it in him to snag one an elusive win this preparation, and if handling the Flemington straight would open other more lucrative opportunities.

“He profiles as a more who loves big tracks and a lot of room so I felt that for a little while he would make a nice straight horse,” Gollan said.

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“During his winter prep, he was going nowhere and when I zigged I should have zagged, everything was going wrong.

“I knew this race was on the cards so I backed off him (after the Eye Liner Stakes) and sent him to Ciaron’s (Maher) at Cranbourne to really settle him in.

“I thought the trip away, and with straight racing, I thought it would suit him and through the race he was travelling alright.”

Initial race favourite War Machine was a late scratching after bursting through the starting stalls and post-race drama followed in the stewards room as connections of second-placed Royal Insignia ($8.50) fired in a protest over excessive use by winning jockey Daniel Moor.

Stewards found that there was evidence of excessive use but the amount was insufficient to overturn the result with the winning margin of a neck.

“He came her a bit unknown down the straight and he did wander about a bit and change legs a lot, but you just know that when you’re on a Tony Gollan horse that they are well prepared,” Moor said.

Tony Gollan also won the Aurie’s Star Handicap in 2011 with Temple Of Boom.

Earlier, a shrewd investment by Lindsay Park and partners is paying dividends as Touchdown furthers his positive impression racing in Australia.

The former New Zealand galloper purchased by Ben, Will and JD Hayes took his record to five wins and three placings in nine starts with victory in the 2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale (1620m) at Flemington.

Second-up this time, the five-year-old finished second over 1400m last start at Sandown.

“Although he didn’t at Sandown, it was still a great run,” co-trainer Ben Hayes said.

“We had to got back from the draw on a heavy track first-up and he was super through the line.

“He really came through it well. This time he had to a bit more work than we thought but it was an easy watch in the end and he was strong through the line and there were nice spacings back to second and third.”

Touchdown ($1.95 favourite) won by two-lengths over the Danny O’Brien-trained Fahrr Flung ($12) with Kaleo ($5.50) a further 2¼-lengths away in third.

“I think there is a lot more to come and he is an exciting horse going forward,” Hayes added.

“It is always good when they run well at this place and there are a lot of nice races to win.

“We’re not going to get too carried away with him yet and we’ll go through the grades with him but he may end up in a nice race in the spring.”

Touchdown also provided Blake Shinn with his second winner on the card on his return meeting after a long injury layoff.

“He’s a raw talent, I feel and he’s not the furnished product,” Shinn said of Touchdown.

“I love that he’s got a great length of stride and I think he’ll get better as he gets further.”

- RAS NewsWire