| What | Aquis $1.5 Million Race Day – Gold Coast Races |
| Where | Aquis Park, Gold Coast Turf Club – Racecourse Road, Bundall QLD/td> |
| When | Saturday, January 8, 2022 |
| Feature Race | Race 7 | The Wave (1800m) |
| First Race | 12:08pm AEST |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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We are now just one week out from the Gold Coast Magic Millions race day, which means trainers will be using this Saturday’s feature nine-race meeting at the Gold Coast as a last-ditch effort to qualify for the rich racing on January 15. HorseBetting’s Queensland form analyst brings you his best bets, value bet and quaddie numbers for throughout the meeting, as well as his in-depth analysis of all nine races, along with his top four selections in each. There has been a bit of rain around the Gold Coast over the past week, so we are set to race on a Soft 6 surface, while the rail is in the true position for the entire course. The field for the first race of the day is set to face the starter at 12:08pm AEST.
Race 1: QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1200m)
To start the program, it is a handy crop of three-year-olds lining up in this Handicap over 1200m. While Manhood was impressive on debut, and you have to respect the Chris Waller-trained Starman, we are siding with Tony Gollan’s filly, Frosty Mango. The daughter of Hinchinbrook has never finished worse than second in her four starts, proving that she is a model of consistency. Frosty Mango made her debut at this track over 900m and looked to be home and hosed until she was grabbed right on the post by Mishani Sniper, which was a similar situation last time out at Doomben when beaten on the post by her stablemate, Muschialli. The 1200m second-up should suit, while her minimum weight of 54kg can offset the wide alley. Sunshine Coast galloper Not Another can run a good race at $21, after she has started her career off in the right way.
Selections: 3-9-1-7
Race 2: Magic Millions Country Cup (1200m)
The 11 horses lining up in the 2022 Magic Millions Country Cup have come from all over the state, from as far north as Rockhampton and as west as Barcaldine, so there are some differing form lines. Local trainer Michael Costa saddles up the first two favourites, and we expect them both to be hard to beat, especially Sir Rocket in this race. The classy five-year-old has won five of his 11 starts and placed on a further four occasions, but most importantly, he boasts an undefeated record here on his home track. The son of Smart Missile won well on November 13 at this track and distance with 61.5kg, before running second at the Sunshine Coast on December 19. On that day, Sir Rocket settled towards the rear of the field and was wide throughout, but he worked home strongly, running the quickest last 400m sectional and the quickest last 200m. He should be very hard to beat under Ryan Maloney, coming off a hot tempo.
Selections: 2-1-5-9
Race 3: Gold Nugget Two-Years-Old Colts and Geldings (1100m)
Races three and four give the two-year-olds one final chance at earning a spot in the $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic on January 15, and first up, we have the colts and geldings in the Gold Nugget. This is shaping to be one of the races of the afternoon, with a number of fancied runners on the cusp of gaining a start next weekend. One runner who doesn’t necessarily need to win to gain a start next Saturday is Danny O’Brien’s colt, Stupendo. The son of Supido was a strong winner down the straight on debut at Flemington on December 11 over this distance. Craig Williams partnered the colt on debut and he has opted to stick with him, travelling to Queensland from Victoria in order to keep the ride, so that is a solid push. Stupendo has drawn a touch awkwardly in gate 10, but he looks to be pretty adaptable. Hell I Am and Swiss Exile are the clear dangers as the market suggests, while we are keen to see how much Allude can improve off his debut run.
Selections: 1-8-3-7
Race 4: Gold Pearl Two-Years-Old Fillies (1100m)
Just like the colt’s and gelding’s edition, the fillies’ race is another absolute cracker, with the likes of the undefeated Exo Lady taking on Perfect Mission and the untapped filly, Stroll. The Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted-trained filly is no sure thing to line up in this race, but we don’t want to not be on her if she is. The daughter of Snitzel was backed off the map on debut at the Sunshine Coast on December 27 and won stylishly after racing three and four wide throughout under Baylee Nothdurft. Stroll looks to have plenty of ability, and it is clear that the stable think so too, placing her in a race like this at just start number two. From gate seven, Nothdurft can get a good run with cover and allow her to sprint quickly at the business end.
Selections: 6-2-1-11
Race 5: Magic Millions Rising Stars 3YO & 4YO Fillies & Mares Class 4 Plate (1300m)
Chris Munce has his horses humming along nicely at the right time of the year, and we expect to see Boomnova add to his recent list of winners. The four-year-old daughter of Spirit Of Boom has been riddled by injuries throughout her racing career, but she looks to have come back in terrific order this campaign, running third when first-up, before running a narrow second to Mass Destruction last time out at Doomben. This mare won on this day 12 months ago, so the track will be no concern for her, while the sting out of the ground is going to suit her even more. From gate five, Boris Thornton will have plenty of options, so we anticipate seeing her box seat behind Fall On A Star and She Can Sing. She wins this race if she can reproduce her last start. Michael Costa’s mare She Can Sing has the blinkers applied for the first time, which could sharpen her right up as she looks to remain undefeated at the Gold Coast in her third start at the track.
Selections: 3-1-2-4
Race 6: Magic Millions Rising Stars 3YO & 4YO Colts, Geldings & Entires Class 4 Plate (1300m)
The fact that we like Boomnova in the previous race, it makes it hard to go past Palladas in the opening leg of the quaddie. The Tony Gollan-trained four-year-old ran a fast-finishing fourth in the same race that Boomnova ran second in on Boxing Day at Doomben, so he should relish the rise to 1300m. The son of I Am Invincible is a winner at this trip in the past and also ran a slashing second to Palaisipan in the Cooney Stakes at Ipswich back in June over 1350m, so this race should suit. There appears to be a decent amount of speed on paper, with Yardstick, Mishani Fraudster and Good Chat all likely to lead, while The Ritz and Le Heros will keep that trio honest in front, setting it up for Palladas to come flashing over the top. Ryan Maloney will get every chance from gate eight.
Selections: 5-6-1-11
Race 7: The Wave (1800m)
The Wave is the feature race at the Gold Coast on Saturday, and while it is open to three and four-year-olds, only one three-year-old has accepted for the race. Although there are a number of local gallopers who will no doubt hold their own in this field, it is hard to ignore the Group and Listed form that Starelle brings with her from Melbourne over the Melbourne Spring Carnival. The Danny O’Brien-trained mare doesn’t win out of turn, with only one victory to her name from 16 starts, however she has been in the placings in her past four starts, all of which have been either Listed, Group 3 or Group 2 races. The daughter of More Than Ready won her maiden back in March in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes at Flemington over 1600m, before going to Sydney to run fifth and sixth in her two respective Group 1 runs over the Autumn. She has the class to win this under Craig Williams, in a bid to repeat her stablemate’s efforts of 12 months ago.
Selections: 9-12-5-3
Race 8: Open Quality Handicap (900m)
They’ll go like the clappers over 900m in the penultimate race of the day. We are big fans of Gary Clem’s iron-horse King Klaus, and given the weight swing in his favour against The Move, we have to side with him again. The six-year-old has won 10 of his 19 starts, and has been in the minor money on a further six occasions, including a one-length second behind The Move at this track and distance on September 18. King Klaus carried 56kg that day, so his 2kg weight relief can pay dividends on Saturday. King Klaus has drawn wide in barrier 11, but he is extremely tough, so we have no doubt that he could race wide throughout the 900m journey and still be there at the finish. This horse flies first-up, winning three from four fresh, while the short course is his pet trip. This is within reach. We have no knock against The Move, with the Tony Gollan-trained galloper the clear danger, while Usmanov is a track and distance specialist for the Edmonds stable.
Selections: 5-6-2-4
Race 9: Benchmark 85 (1400m)
We finish off the day with an average Benchmark 85, if we are completely honest, but there looks a clear standout. We have tipped Boomnova and Palladas already out of the Class 3 on Boxing Day at Doomben, so it’s clear that we rate that form line. The winner of that race was the Gollan-trained Mass Destruction, so it is hard to ignore him in this. The four-year-old son of Spirit Of Boom was gifted an incredible ride by James McDonald on that occasion which no doubt carried him a long way, but he really knuckled down to the task late over 1200m. He now faces easier opposition and rises to 1400m which will be right up his alley, given he has won two from three over the seven furlongs. Ryan Maloney replaces McDonald, which admittedly is a downgrade, but it certainly isn’t a bad thing that Maloney is on. From gate six, he can settle closer again and be winning the final race of the day. Cracker Essgee has been racing very well for the Costa yard, so he has to be respected, while Glitter Strip and Puntura bring similar form lines around Ayrton from the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Selections: 7-15-14-11
Saturday quaddie tips for Gold Coast
| Gold Coast quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 5-6 |
| Leg 2: | 1-3-5-9-12 |
| Leg 3: | 2-5-6 |
| Leg 4: | 7-11-14-15 |
| Investment: | $120 for 100% |
