In celebrating that milestone Gollan acknowledged the journey he had travelled since reviving his training career in 2003. His second premiership followed a break-through season when Gollan had saddled-up 57 metropolitan winners.
That season was ably assisted by the Group One-winning half-brothers Spirit of Boom (by Sequalo) and Temple of Boom (by Piccolo) however it would be unfair to say Gollan’s march toward the top of his profession was solely down to the “Boom Brothers”.
All up, Gollan trained 95 winners Australia wide during the 2014-15 racing season earning connections more than $4million. With a third trainers’ title firmly in the rear-vision mirror Gollan is now looking to build on the 100-plus winners Australia wide mark that landed him in tenth spot on the Australian Trainers’ Premiership list at the end of the 2015-16 seasons Gollan recording a top five finish training 88.5 metropolitan winners.
Gollan has begun the 2016-17 racing season in the same manner he finished the last, already he has 66 metropolitan winners Australia wide, 90 overall, and to the stables credit the season has another three months to run.
Spirit of Boom, owned by Boom Racing Thoroughbreds Syndications, is clearly the most successful galloper Gollan has trained providing him with successes in the 2014 Group 1 MVRC William Reid Stakes and in the BRC Doomben 10,000. Temple of Boom, also owned by Boom Racing Thoroughbreds, and the oldest of the pair had won the 2012 Group 1 ATC Galaxy at Randwick after wins at Group 2, Group 3 and Listed level.
While both Booms brothers enhanced Gollan’s reputation, the effort to take Amexed from a maiden win at the Sunshine Coast over 1600 m. to success in the Group 3 BRC Rough Habit Plate (2000 m.) equally focused a bright light on his skill.
As a teenager Gollan was a star Rugby League player in Toowoomba, earning selection in the Queensland U-19 squad and winning a scholarship to play in Sydney. But with a professional football career beckoning he chose horse racing, with his first winner Carbon Shadow at Clifford Park in 1999, and it’s a tribute to his dedication and persistence that followed some 13-years after he had taken the plunge and moved to Brisbane in 2012 to saddle up his first Group-1 winner.
Gollan once again has approached the new season with the attitude to keep building on the past results to ensure his rise to the top isn’t a short stay