TRAINER GOLLAN RACKS UP 2 TOORAK HANDICAPS

Brisbane's leading handler captures second Caulfield Group 1 contest with Transatlantic

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Transatlantic provided Queensland's premier trainer Tony Gollan with a second straight win in the A$1 million (S$847,000) Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1,600m), following Antino's six-and-a-half-length romp in the 2024 edition.

There was no such domination this time, with Transatlantic (Mark Zahra) socring by a short-head over Evaporate (Blake Shinn). Still, Gollan was delighted to see the gelding reverse the result of their meeting in the Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1,500m) a fortnight ago.

"We bought him as a yearling, we've had some ownership changes along the way, (but) it's just terrific," said Gollan of Transatlantic, who has now won seven of 20 starts and a tick over A$1.3 million in stakes money.

"We've had a bunch in and out of him, and it's just a great story, really. He's been a nice horse to get going and, to win a Group 1 with him, it's just a great result."

"There's something in the water in Brisbane at the moment."

A 12-time Brisbane champion trainer, Gollan is not the only Queenslander to win back-to-back editions in recent years, with Robert Heathcote claiming it in 2012 and 2013 with Solzhenitsyn.

A positive ride from Zahra was a key to Transatlantic's success.