As a long-term proud sponsor of the Listed Silk Stocking race for fillies and mares traditionally held on Hollindale Stakes Day, Attwood Marshall Lawyers is gearing up for a great day trackside on Saturday 10th May at Gold Coast Turf Club. Attwood Marshall Lawyers Legal Practice Director and racehorse breeder and owner, Jeff Garrett, explains why the firm continues to sponsor this exciting event and gives his top tips for the day.
The Hollindale Stakes Raceday returns to the Gold Coast on 10th May 2025 after two years on the Sunshine Coast due to the Gold Coast Turf Club’s multi-million-dollar redevelopment and some unexpected issues with the new course proper last year.
Hollindale Stakes Day is one of the first big race days in the calendar for the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival, which takes place from 3 May to 5 July 2025. The carnival boasts more than $28 million in prize money, with nine million-dollar races and eight prestigious Group 1 features.
The GCTC members and officials will be out in force at Gold Coast Aquis Park on Saturday, and Attwood Marshall Lawyers is proud to be a long-term sponsor of the Silk Stocking Race, having initially sponsored this event some 18 years ago.
The Silk Stocking is a listed race for fillies and mares, with horses running the 1400m distance to compete for a share of $160,000 in prizemoney.
The main aim for the connections in the race is to obtain the elusive “black type,” which comes from winning or placing in a listed or group stakes race. A “black type” entry in a mare’s pedigree has very positive implications for the mare as a future breeding proposition and improves the value of not only that mare, but the immediate family as well.
The mother, siblings, half-siblings, and even the extended family of the “black type” mare are immediately upgraded by the black type entry in the pedigree, so the Silk Stocking is a very sought-after race and attracts all the top trainers.
The Silk Stocking is a fantastic opportunity for local breeders to upgrade their filly or mare and race at the slightly longer distance of 1400m right at the start of the Winter Carnival. However, the lure of black type usually attracts a strong field, and it is no walk in the park. Indeed, to win any race in modern times needs all the planets aligned!
The headline race for the day is the $500,000 A.D. Hollindale Stakes, which is a Group 2 race run over 1,800m for horses aged three years and older. It has a wonderful history with high quality fields and has been won by champions such as Might and Power, Durbridge, Shogun Lodge, Danewin, and more recently, Zaaki, who won the race 3 times in succession.
If you are unable to be trackside, there are multiple ways to watch the action, including on Channel 7, Sky Racing 1, Sky Racing 2, and Sky Thoroughbred Central, or by streaming Sky Racing through a TAB or Sportsbet account.
We wish all runners good luck as they prepare for the day!
Tips for punters
Silk Stocking: 11. Floozie – beautifully bred mare by Zoustar out of Catchy. Has drawn the carpark but with a little luck in running should salute. Maybe box with 4,5,12, & 13 for the exotics.
Hollindale Stakes: 6. Just Folk – I like the Magnus roughie on a soft track to be ridden by senior jockey Noel Callow. Box with 2,3,7 & 10 for a rough trifecta!
Attwood Marshall Lawyers – Experts in Equine and Racing Law
Attwood Marshall Lawyers, established 1946, has been a long-time corporate sponsor of the Gold Coast Turf Club and supporter of the local racing industry.
As one of the few law firms that practices in the niche field of Equine and Racing Law, the firm has a dedicated team who understand the industry and ins-and-outs of owning a racehorse.
Our senior lawyers are heavily involved with the racing sector and have hands on experience in breeding and owning thoroughbred horses.
Whether you need assistance with stallion and racehorse syndications, appeals for jockeys and trainers, business structuring advice, taxation advice and ATO industry audits, or are involved in a horse ownership contract dispute, we can help.
If you have a thoroughbred breeding, racing or equine law enquiry, please contact our Equine Law Department Manager, Chloe Smith, on direct line 07 5506 8257, email csmith@attwoodmarshall.com.au or free call 1800 621 071 at any time.
Our expert Equine and Racing Law team are available for appointments at all our office locations, at Coolangatta, Robina, Southport, Kingscliff, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
