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Godolphin continued its impressive record with two-year-old favourites as Holler scored at Randwick on Saturday, but plunge followers were left out of pocket by Fireworks.
Holler was edgy in the mounting yard and spun into the garden when jockey James McDonald got on board. But after being reshod at the barriers, Holler was professional once he was in the barriers, jumping well and sitting outside the leader before dashing clear to win by 1-1/4 lengths from Encosta Line and Fireworks.
"He was a lot worse when I trialled him, so he is learning what it's all about," McDonald said of the $3.80 favourite. "It was just awesome in the straight because he just did what you would expect from a smart one. He is going to get better and I can't wait to get him to a mile because that's when he will be at his best."
The John O'Shea-trained Holler was the 11th juvenile favourite for Godolphin this season and is the fifth winner, with another four top picks running second. It was Australia's biggest stable's seventh two-year-old win for the season overall.
"He has obviously shown us a lot at home and it is nice to see him come out and do it on raceday," Godolphin racing manager Jason Walsh said. "We have marked him down as one that will get over a bit more ground and we will wait to see how he comes through that [win] before making any decisions. But races like the Sires' and Champagne Stakes could be options for him.
"He is in the second wave of our two-year-olds. We have already seen the more precocious ones before Christmas and there are few nice ones to come through, which have had a bit more time."
While favourite backers were on good terms with themselves, those who had followed the money trial of the $14 into $4.80 plunge on Fireworks had their hopes dashed at the start. She charged home to run third, two lengths from the winner.
"She knuckled at the start and it cost her," Fireworks' jockey Tommy Berry said. "Whether she jumps and is there and beats the winner, I'm not too sure, but she took a lot of ground off it. It was a good run – especially on a firm track where they're not going to make up a lot of ground."
There was more drama behind the barriers when Gigolo attempted to mount stablemate Stimac. Once the gates open Gigolo drove to the front but was the first horse beaten in the straight
"I said to the owners they should consider gelding him because he was very coltish as you saw," jockey Blake Shinn said. "He was disappointing, once [Holler] put the pressure to him he gave in very quickly."
Trainer Chris Waller confirmed Gigolo could be facing a gelding operation once he had spoken with the owner. The premier trainer had four in the race and Encosta Line worked to the line the best of them to run second after settling well back in the field.
"He is a good-looking type that looks like making a nice three-year-old," Waller said of Encosta Line. "I think that will earn him a trip to Brisbane and he can probably have a little break now."
