Brilliant Holler Wins G1 Canterbury Stakes

A brilliant display of sustained speed has earned Holler a G1 success and given Godolphin a third top level victory in Australia this season with his win in the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, March 5.

Holler (John O'Shea/James McDonald) swept to the front as soon as the gates opened and maintained a strong gallop throughout, coming clear to win by a length-and-a-quarter from First Seal.

For trainer John O'Shea the win was the result of a carefully conceived plan that involved racing Holler in Melbourne where he has won twice this season and then returning him to Sydney and making a vital change to his race day equipment.

But O'Shea shared the credit for the win with his entire stable, declaring Holler's win the result of a "wonderful team effort".

"This is the result of a great plan that was well executed by both our Sydney and Melbourne stables," O'Shea said.

"The team in Melbourne did a good job with him and sent him back to us in top condition.

"Since he's been back in Sydney he's thrived - we knew we were sending out a very fit horse."

While his rider James McDonald played his part perfectly, a second jockey received a large share of the credit for Holler's win.

"Damien Oliver rode him on his previous start in Melbourne and recommended that we put blinkers on him. He's fairly astute, so we took his advice," O'Shea said.

It was the second Saturday in a row that Oliver played a part in a Godolphin stakes victory, having taken out a G2 event on Bow Creek in Melbourne a week earlier.

It was McDonald, however, who was responsible for taking the initiative on Holler, sending the son of Commands to the front and then racing him perfectly.

"At this distance it's always best to be in control. He jumped fast and coming to the 300m he was travelling so strongly," McDonald said.

With his initial G1 success now in the record book, a return to Melbourne for the G1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley in three weeks is planned.

Holler's win proved the high point of the day after one of the stables top two-year-olds, Astern, was unable to take his place in the G2 Todman Stakes, his intended lead up race to the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes.

Godolphin's talented filly Calliope also missed her Golden Slipper trial when she was ruled a non-runner after arriving at the barrier for the G2 Reisling Stakes.

As well as Holler's G1 victory, the filly Alegria ran well to finish third in the G3 Aspiration Quality and Allergic was second in the Listed Randwick City Stakes.

Godolphin's other Australian G1 winners this season have been Exosphere in the Golden Rose at Rosehill and Magic Hurricane in the Metropolitan at Randwick.