Leading the way- Lee Freedman and Tony Gollan

Following on from our collaboration with Racing Queensland, we’re getting to know leading trainers Lee Freedman and Tony Gollan, both of whom currently have horses available on Stridyl’s Ownership Marketplace.

Lee Freedman

The name Freedman is prominent within the racing industry, spanning over four generations. Lee is one of four brothers, all of whom are successful trainers: Lee, Anthony, Richard and Michael Freedman.

Lee previously trained in partnership with his brothers to form Freedman Racing, they had many successes over 20 years. Preparing over 100 Group One winners, including the Melbourne Cup on five occasions and four consecutive Golden Slippers.

He has been involved with some serious stars of the turf, having associations with the likes of Schillaci, Makybe Diva, Encosta De Lago, Bint Marscay, Danzero, Flying Spur and Miss Andretti to name a few.

Lee began training in Warwick Farm in 1983, before relocating to Flemington in 1984. Freedman soon found success with filly Sauna, who was Group One placed. His first Group One win went to filly Miss Clipper, who won the 1986 SAJC Australasian Oaks.

1989 saw the Freedman brothers win their first of five Melbourne Cups with Tawrrific, Super Impose ran second providing them with the quinella. When 1992 rolled around, they won their second Melbourne Cup with the infamous grey- Subzero. They also became the first trainer to win Melbourne’s major races: Caulfield Cup (Mannerism), Cox Plate (Super Impose) and Melbourne Cup (Subzero) – with three different horses.

The Golden Slipper success started in 1993, when they won the first of four consecutive Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill with the filly Bint Marscay. They won in 1994 with Danzero; 1995 Flying Spur; and 1996 Merlene.

The third Melbourne Cup came in 1995, with Doriemus, who also won the Caulfield Cup.

Hall Of Fame

Lee Freedman was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2003. This was the same year that outstanding mare Makybe Diva won her first Melbourne Cup. Lee took over the training of Makybe Diva in 2004, after her trainer David Hall left to train in Hong Kong.

Whilst in Lee’s care, Makybe Diva was able to win Group One BMW, Australian Cup and Cox Plate. An additional achievement was winning the 2004 and 2005 Melbourne Cups, taking her to a total of three wins in the Cup, this has never been done in more than 150 years of the race. Makybe Diva was retired after winning her third Melbourne Cup in November 2005.

Going Global

2005 saw Mummify win Lee Freedman’s first international Group race, the Group 1 Singapore International Stakes at Kranji. Lee didn’t stop there, he aimed for the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting with Miss Andretti. Securing his first European win, Miss Andretti won the Group 2 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2007. Prior to this, she won four Group One sprint races:

Manikato Stakes
Lightening Stakes
Australia Stakes
Newmarket Handicap

Lee was granted his trainer’s license in Singapore in 2017, he had Group One success with Mr Clint who won 2018 Group 1 Singapore Guineas.

Going Home

Lee Freedman returned to Australia in 2020, he now has his training base at the Gold Coast. Lee currently has 38 horses on the books and has a beautiful colt available on our Ownership Marketplace: Better Than Ready x Regime.

Contact Stridyl today to have an opportunity to own and race a horse with Hall Of Fame trainer, Lee Freedman.

Tony Gollan

Tony began his racehorse training career in 1999, he was only 20 years old. He had stables in his hometown of Toowoomba and quickly found success with his first winner- Carbon Shadow in a provincial maiden at Clifford Park.

Having tried training in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Tony moved back to Toowoomba to further hone his skills alongside his father Darryl and also learn from legendary trainer Jim Atkins.

It wasn’t until 2003 when Tony resumed his own training stables, he acquired filly Temple Spirit. This horse would set the path for Tony’s future training success. Whilst she won eight races and over $130,000 in prizemoney, it was her first two offspring that would become trailblazers for the stable – Temple Of Boom and Spirit Of Boom. These two horses won a combined 20 races including 3 Group 1s and over $4 million in prizemoney. Temple Of Boom won Tony his first Group One race- The Galaxy at Randwick on 21 April 2012.

Moving Along

Tony moved his stables to Brisbane, setting up at the renowned Eagle Farm. Since moving there, Tony won his first metropolitan trainer’s premiership in 2013. He also broke the record for most city winners with 79 in 2014, previously held by the late Bruce McLachlan.

In 2019, Tony had 100 metropolitan winners in a season. He has also obtained his 10th successive metropolitan trainer’s premiership in 2022/23.

“The 10-time champion racehorse trainer joins Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher as the only trainers with 100 metropolitan winners in the country this season, but boasts the best strike rate in the eastern states for anyone with more than 40 winners.”

“As the only trainer to reach 100 metropolitan winners in Queensland, Tony says he will never take the milestone for granted and points to his smaller 90-box stable compared to the likes of Waller and Maher.”

It’s impressive to think that Tony has had more Metropolitan winners than boxes…

Earlier this month it was announced that Tony’s stables will be expanding to the Gold Coast. So not only do Tony’s horses have access to quality facilities at Eagle Farm and Doomben, but they will now have the opportunity to to train at the newly renovated training centre, with state-of-the-art facilities.

Ensuring Equine Welfare

Not only does Tony care for his horses whilst they’re in training, but he is also an advocate for the welfare of retired racehorses. Alongside his wife Jane, they established the Transitioning Thoroughbreds Foundation. This venture began in 2020 and is a great initiative to support life after racing for thoroughbreds.