Weight no worry for Holymanz

A significant jump up the handicap wasn’t enough to prevent Holymanz from retaining his title in the Coastal Classic at Geelong.

Our son of Almanzor won the 1700 metre event last year with 53kg and the Ciaron Maher-trained representative staged a repeat performance under a hefty 60kg topweight for his fifth career victory.

“He’s going very well and he’s a solid Group 3 and Listed horse, Group 2 on his best day, and it’s another great result for Cambridge Stud,” stable representative Jack Turnbull said.

“We’ll probably give him a short breather now and then look at the autumn features.”

Holymanz was given plenty of time to find his feet by visiting English rider Saffie Osborne and they lobbed along in second last spot away from the rail.

They five-year-old was on the move wide out 500 metres from home and he maintained a strong gallop to claim top honours.

“He’s an extremely uncomplicated horse. He had to carry a lot of weight, but he’s still got a great turn of foot and is very tough,” Osborne said.

While Holymanz hadn’t won since his first Coastal Classic success, he had been placed in strong company in the G2 Blamey Stakes, the G3 Eclipse Stakes and Listed Tontonan Stakes in between times.

We purchased the chestnut for A$400,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in conjunction with Nicolas de Chambure of Haras d’Etreham, Almanzor’s home in the Northern Hemisphere.

Holymanz was offered by Lime Country Thoroughbreds on behalf of breeder Jamieson Park and is out of the winning Dubawi mare Perfect Offering, a half-sister to the stakes winner and Group performer My Country.