Promising gelding Tullio has completed a marvellous comeback from a career-threatening injury with his fourth straight win at Doomben.
It was feared Tullio would be unable to race again after he needed knee surgery to remove a chip after finishing second at Eagle Farm in December, 2018.
After the procedure Tullio was eased back to the track with a program of swimming and walking.
Tullio resumed successfully on the Gold Coast in early June and subsequently racked up three more wins, culminating with the Kirin Handicap (1050m) on Saturday.
Tullio, the equal $4.40 favourite, sat behind the pace and powered clear to beat stablemate Howwonderfullifeis ($4.40) by 3-3/4 lengths on a heavy track.
Trainer Tony Gollan missed the meeting after having surgery to correct an old nose injury leaving stable foreman Craig Cavanough to laud the victory.
“It is a credit to the staff for the hard work everyone has put in with him,” Cavanough said.
“It is great to see this horse living up to his potential.”
Winning jockey Jim Byrne said Tullio got a perfect run behind the pace and always had the leaders covered.
In the XXXX Dry Plate (1200m) Kylease ($4.40) lived up to her early potential with an all the way win.
Kylease won three of her first four starts for Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride and started favourite in the Group Three Hawkesbury Guineas last year.
But the mare had been struggling in Sydney before being sent to Eagle Farm-based Steve O’Dea.
His stable foreman Matt Hoysted said Kylease should more than pay her way in Brisbane after impressing in her first start.
“Joe had a really big opinion of her but she was just struggling down there,” Hoysted said.
“It is easier in Brisbane and we have a lot of races for mares.”
Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller finished the season the way he started it by dominating Brisbane staying races.
Gelding Stardome, the joint $4.60 favourite, scored a 3-1/2 length win over Prince of Arran ($31) in the BRC Membership Hcp (2000m) to notch the 43rd metropolitan win for Waller’s Gold Coast stable this season.
More than half of the victories have been recorded in staying races.
“Stardome has been most consistent and (jockey) Larry (Cassidy) got him into the perfect position and that was all he needed,” said Waller’s stable manager Paul Shailer.