On the advice of jockey Damien Oliver, who partnered Holler to a fifth-place finish in the G2 Autumn S. Feb. 13, trainer John O'Shea opted to add blinkers to the colt for the G1 Canterbury S. That decision paid dividends Saturday when the 3-year-old stayed focused and wired a field that included heralded Group 1 winners like First Seal, Kermadec and Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}). Off like a shot, Holler was quickly joined by a keen Our Boy Malachi, who had missed the break, on his outside. The filly First Seal sat two lengths off the lead on the rail with the G1 Doncaster H. winner Kermadec on her flank, and Criterion a further length back on the fence. Holler pulled a length clear rounding the turn and maintained his advantage throughout the lane while Our Boy Malachi tired, leaving First Seal and Kermadec to pick up the minor placings.
“He's just thrived in the last three weeks and another great James McDonald ride,” O'Shea told Racenet.com.au. “I was really happy when I saw Our Boy Malachi step slowly because James had given every indication he was going to try and control it. We knew we had a fit racehorse and it's nice when it comes off like that. It's very rewarding for the team.”
Holler had stamped himself as a horse to watch last year with a debut score at Randwick in late January, but was not seen again until June, when third in a Randwick plate race. Third in the G2 Run To The Rose S. on his 3-year-old debut, Holler checked in last of eight in the G1 Golden Rose S. two weeks later. After two more runner-up efforts he got back to his winning ways in Moonee Valley's G3 Phonewords S. Oct. 24, and kicked off his autumn campaign with a win over that same 1200 metre track and trip Jan. 23 prior to his Autumn fifth. O'Shea noted that Holler would likely return to Moonee Valley for his next outing, the G1 William Reid S. Mar. 24.
Holler's unplaced dam, Shouts, is a half-sister to Australian champion sprinter Yell (Aus) (Anabaa). Shouts's Animal Kingdom yearling filly died and she produced a filly by young Darley sire Albrecht (Aus) last year.
Saturday, Randwick, Australia
CANTERBURY S.-G1, A$500,000, ATC, 3-5, 3yo/up, Open Weight For Age, 1300mT, 1:15.40, Good.
1–&HOLLER, 56.0, c, 3, by Commands
1st Dam: Shouts, by Strategic
2nd Dam: Vocalist, by Bluebird (USA)
3rd Dam: Loyal Lyric, by Sovereign Red (NZ)
O-Godolphin; B-Darley NSW; T-J A O'Shea; J-J B Mc Donald;
A$305,000. Lifetime Record: 10-4-2-2, A$658,625. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–First Seal, 57.0, m, 4, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Episode, by Scenic
(IRE). (NZ$700,000 Ylg 2013 NZB National Yearling Sale)
O-China Horse Club (Mgr: Teo Ah Khing), Raffles Thoroughbred
Racing (Mgr: K T Yap), Think Big Stud (Mgrs: D Ramage & Dato
Tan Chin Nam), J S C Chua & Westcode Pty Ltd (Mgr: Tunku
Ahm; B-Raffles Dancers (NZ) Pty Ltd NSW; T-John Thompson;
J-B Shinn; A$100,000.
3–Kermadec (NZ), 59.0, h , 4, Teofilo (Ire)–Hy Fuji, by Fuji Kiseki
(JPN). (NZ$260,000 Ylg 2013 NZB National Yearling Sale) O-N
Morgan; B-Llanhennock Trust, Waikato, NZ; T-C J Waller; J-J
Bowman; A$50,000.
Margins: 1.3 len, 1.6 len, 2.4 len. Odds: 6.50, 1.70, 4.00.
Also Ran: Happy Clapper, Our Boy Malachi, Ecuador (NZ) , Criterion (NZ).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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