AD Hollindale Stakes
The A D Hollindale Stakes is a Group 2 weight-for-age race conducted by Queensland's Gold Coast Turf Club as a feature of its premier May race meeting.
The AD Hollindale Stakes, named after a former chairman of the GCTC, was first run in in 1989 as the Southport Cup to serve as major lead-up to the Doomben and Brisbane Cups.
It has been known as the AD Hollindale Stakes since 1993 and used to be run midweek but moved to the main Gold Coast feature day on the Saturday.
The distance has been 1800m since its inception and was run as a Listed race from 1990-1992. The Hollindale Stakes was Group 3 from 1993-1996 and has been a Group 2 race since 1997.
It was run at Sunshine Coast in 2023 due to the redevelopment of the Gold Coast turf track.
The same horse has won the Hollindale Stakes-Doomben Cup double in the same year 11 times – Rough Habit (1991-92), Durbridge (1994), Danewin (1995), Might And Power (1998), Mr Bureaucrat (2002), Bush Padre (2003), Above Deck (2006), Metal Bender (2010), Streama (2014) and Zaaki (2021).
The best winner was Might And Power on his way to the Doomben Cup. He trotted in by nearly six lengths.
Only five mares have won the Hollindale Stakes (Melora, Shez Sinsational, Lights Of Heaven, Streama, Oregon's Day) and four three-year-olds (Danewin, Super Slew, Summer Beau and Shogun Lodge).
Zaaki would announce himself on the local stage winning the Hollindale then the Doomben Cup and The Q22 before returning in the Spring to take races like the Underwood Stakes and Mackinnon Stakes. He returned to win again in 2022 and then in 2023 as well.
The 2023 AD Hollindale Stakes was run for prizemoney of $500,000.
The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the coronavirus.
Notable winners of the AD Hollindale Stakes include multiple winners Rough Habit (1991-92), Shogun Lodge (2000-01), Leebaz (2015-16) and Zaaki (2021-22-23) plus Eye Of The Sky, Hunter, Durbridge, Danewin, Might And Power, Melora, Platinum Scissors, Above Deck, Scenic Shot, Metal Bender, My Kingdom Of Fife, Lights Of Heaven, Streama and It's Somewhat.
The 2023 Hollindale Stakes was won by Zaaki from Huetor and Zeyrek.