2025 Hollindale Stakes Day Tips & Preview

BESTOWER (9) looks ready to peak fourth-up for Kris Lees in a wide-open race between the stayers. 

This Kiwi-born mare by Group 1 winner Contributer was strong late at Kensington last start on a wet day, giving good chase for third after settling in the first half of the field. 

Remember, she was 1500m out to 1800m that day, so she should be running fitter now for her first look at 2200m from a nice soft gate. With Andrew Mallyon riding well and some decent wet track form, I’m keen to have something small on the pair. 

JOHN RAMBO (8) was all class on a pretty choppy day at Doomben two weeks ago, stoking up wide out of the turn before Martin Harley pressed the button and away they went. 

The pair scored by just shy of four lengths on rain-affected going and now return to the Gold Coast where this son of Adelaide ran a place in a Class 3 last year. 

The wide alley is the only real knock, but having found an electric turn of foot to remain unbeaten this prep, there’s really no reason to jump off with conditions likely to suit. 

FLOOZIE (11) is ticking along nicely this time in work, arriving at Tony Gollan’s stable just in time for the Winter Carnival from Victoria. 

The daughter of Zoustar has won her last two starts at Eagle Farm by a combined 4.5 lengths, bolting in last week between a pair once the gap opened up approaching the 200m mark.  

She’s got improvement still to come, and having won her maiden by a clear margin third-up as a three-year-old, there’s nothing to suggest she can’t go on with the job. 

INFANCY (4) gets James McDonald again second-up in what looks to be a very winnable race thanks to some scratchings. 

The pair timed their run to perfection fresh at Randwick nearly a month ago, winding up with a big run down the outside to prevail by just under half a length over Commemorative in the G2 Sapphire Stakes. 

This is her first look at Queensland, but she’s got a nice second-up record and a perfect gate to settle off the speed and save her best for the finish.  

I won’t be diving in at the price, but BEADMAN (3) does look very hard to beat with J-Mac jumping into the saddle for the Ken Russell Memorial Classic.  

This smart Snitzel colt shed the maiden tag at Newcastle stylishly last month on a wet track, making every post a winner as he kept finding to gap his rivals by nearly two lengths. 

He’ll improve sharply on that effort with another soft gate at his disposal, and although this is tougher, he looks to be a smart one in the making. 

WANARUAH (3) is a talented three-year-old who has shown real potential in five starts for the Waterhouse/Bott Team. 

By Snitzel, the blinkers come off for the first time after he failed to fire in the G1 Caulfield Guineas last time out during the spring, but you only have to go back and watch his previous runs in the Guineas Prelude and the Up And Coming Stakes to get a real feel for what he can produce. 

With some handy form around good horses and a couple of sharp trials leading in, I think he’ll be ready to run another huge race here fresh.  

BUCKAROO (2) appears well-placed third-up back over 1800m. 

I was with him a few weeks ago in the G1 Queen Elizabeth, where he had a bit go against him, which was also the case fresh in the George Ryder when he was too far back and held up. 

This is the same setup that saw him win his first G1 over in the Underwood Stakes last year, and with the soft track suiting, I think he’ll be very hard to hold out if J-Mac has him in the right spot. 

PINITO (4) looks a nice price third-up out over 1800m. 

The Godolphin filly ran a much-improved race in the Listed Princess Stakes a fortnight ago at Eagle Farm, hitting her straps around the 200m mark where she ran on late for second, beaten just over two lengths by Philia. 

Having found the money in all nine races she’s contested, she remains a super honest three-year-old who should love longer back on a slightly drier track – providing Jason Collett can offset the barrier, of course. 

I’ll stick with ECONOMICS (8), who gave nothing else a chance at Eagle Farm first-up last month, where he led from barrier to box. 

The Capitalist five-year-old has turned into somewhat of a first-up specialist, bursting clear fast into stride, and then quickening down the straight to go on and win with a bit left to give. 

His second-up form has been mixed, but he does have a run here at the Gold Coast to his name and another low gate working in his favour under Jake Bayliss.