News

Easter Quinella in Hollindale

8th May 2010

Metal Bender and Road To Rock are poised to renew their rivalry in the Doomben Cup after running 1-2 in today’s Group 2 Hollindale Stakes on the Gold Coast.

The win was a triumph for trainer Chris Waller, who has brought METAL BENDER ($160,000 2007 Easter, 4g Danasinga-Jacqwin) back from the best part of a 12 month absence to winning form.

"He's a very good horse and I'm fortunate to be training him," Waller said. "We will go to the Doomben Cup next and then prepare him for the spring."

A dual Group 1 winner last autumn, the Waikato Stud-bred gelding had his spring campaign end before it even started.

Today’s win tipped Metal Bender’s earnings passed the $1million mark.

After two runs improving his fitness in Sydney, Metal Bender was able to strike winning form and Waller is confident he still has more improvement as he heads to the Group 1 Doomben Cup in a fortnight.

Anthony Cummings remains confident his entire ROAD TO ROCK ($100,000 2006 Easter, 5h Encosta De Lago-Trewornan) can turn the tables at Doomben, after coming back from 2000m to the 1800m today.

"He gave them too big a start today, but hopefully at Doomben it will be a different story," Cummings said of the dual Group 1 winner.

The Hollindale is the 132nd stakes race won in Australia this season by Inglis graduates.

The next Inglis yearling sale is the Scone Select Yearling Sale begins this Thursday, May 13 and continues Sunday May 16, with 412 yearlings catalogued.