Tony Gollan trains treble at Eagle Farm on mum’s birthday

Eagle Farm turned 160 and the mum of champion trainer Tony Gollan was also celebrating her birthday and felt she was a good-luck charm for her son who trained a treble.

Ben Dorries

2 min read

August 30, 2025 - 8:44PM

Give Giggles wins at Eagle Farm for trainer Tony Gollan and jockey Ben Thompson. Picture: Trackside Photography

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Grand old lady Eagle Farm celebrated her 160th birthday, but there was another birthday girl who felt she was a good-luck charm for her champion trainer son.

Not that Tony Gollan needs a lucky charm, but his mum Paulette chuckled that she provided one on the same day celebrations kicked off for the 160th birthday of the Eagle Farm racetrack.

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Paulette was celebrating her birthday on Saturday at Eagle Farm and having her customary $5 each-way on all of her son’s horses.

With Tony away in Melbourne with Antino contesting the Group 1 Memsie Stakes, birthday girl Paulette had a great birthday present when Gollan trained a treble at Eagle Farm.

“It’s my birthday today, I might be the lucky charm for Tony’s horses racing at Eagle Farm today,” Paulette, who made us promise we would not divulge her age, said.

“Tony is coming home early from Melbourne so he can take me out to breakfast on Sunday.”

Paulette Gollan (right) with Tony Gollan’s wife Jane at Eagle Farm. Picture: Trackside Photography

Gollan kept his roll on at the start of the racing season with Eagle Farm winners Arisphere ($5.50), Ready For The Trip ($4.40) and Give Giggles ($2.90 favourite).

It could have been an even better day as Gollan’s shortest priced runner of the day, $1.60 favourite Free Carry, was disappointing and finished fifth.

Meanwhile, punters piled into last start $51 winner Cyber City but they did their cash in the QTIS 3YO Handicap (1400m).

David Murphy-trained Cyber City was one of the most intriguing betting propositions in the country on Saturday given he won by five and a half lengths at a big price at his previous start.

Cyber City opened at $8 to repeat the dose on Saturday and by start time, official fluctuations showed he was $3.10 into $2.80 favourite.

The gelding led for home but put up the white flag and finished ninth, with Kelly Schweida-trained Wannabe Brutal ($7) getting the chocolates.

Wannabe Brutal wins at Eagle Farm for trainer Kelly Schweida, with Ben Thompson riding. Picture: Trackside Photography

Schweida was always confident, knowing that the gelding he also part-owns had been the best of the closers a start earlier when Cyber City was a rough-priced winner.

“He can be very green this horse and he does a lot of things wrong, but I thought he would be strong the last bit today and he was,” Schweida said.

“He will probably have a break now, unless I get a bit greedy.”

On the Gold Coast, Adam Campton’s good mare Catwalk Criminal made a low-key but successful return to racing.

Six-year-old Catwalk Criminal, who has immense talent but has had repeated injury setbacks over the years, was sent out the $1.90 favourite in a 1000m dash and led from start to finish.

Catwalk Criminal underwent surgery in March to remove the lower half of her left hind outer splint bone after she had suffered an infected piece of bone from being galloped on.

Originally published as Tony Gollan trains treble at Eagle Farm on mum’s birthday