| What | Caloundra Cup Day |
| Where | Sunshine Coast Turf Club – 170 Pierce Ave, Caloundra QLD 4551 |
| When | Saturday, July 1, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:18pm AEST |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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The Sunshine Coast Turf Club will host its marquee meeting this Saturday afternoon, with the Group 3 Winx Guineas and Listed Caloundra Cup highlighting the nine-race program. The track is currently rated a Good 4 and, with no rain forecast for Friday and Saturday, should stay that way for the entire meeting. The rail will be in the true position all the way around, with racing set to get underway at 12:18pm AEST.
Winx Guineas Tip – Grebeni
The Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained Grebeni has won four of his first nine races, including each of his last three starts in Sydney. This son of Ocean Park will be heading north of the border for the first time to tackle his maiden Group race; however, he is one of very few runners in this that doesn’t have a query at 1600m (2:2-0-0), while he also drops back to his own age bracket. Ryan Maloney will most likely settle at the rear of the field from barrier 18, but if Grebeni lets down with that blistering turn of foot he possesses, he should prove too strong.
Winx Guineas
Race 7 – 
#4 Grebeni (18)
3yo Gelding | T: Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | J: Ryan Maloney (57kg)
$4.60 with Betfair
Caloundra Cup Tip – Zoumon
The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Zoumon has been in very good form this preparation, finishing second first-up over 1800m before claiming a tough victory in the Listed McKell Cup last start. This son of Zoustar will be attempting the 2400m for the second time, after finishing fourth in the Group 1 Australian Derby at his first attempt. Now that he has matured into a serious front-running stayer, we expect Tim Clark to push forward and take up the lead and control the race. If he does, Zoumon will be very hard to run down as a deserving favourite with online bookmakers.
Caloundra Cup
Race 6 – 
#8 Zoumon (11)
4yo Gelding | T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | J: Tim Clark (54.5kg)
$3.80 with Unibet
Glasshouse Handicap Tip – Fleetwood Maca
In an open edition of the Glasshouse Handicap, the Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted-trained Fleetwood Maca offers massive value at $31 with the best betting sites. This five-year-old mare was very unlucky not to win first-up at Eagle Farm over 1200m, where she had to weave through traffic in the home straight to run second. The daughter of Rock ‘N’ Pop has a good record when second-up (3:2-0-1) and at 1400m (4:2-0-1). From barrier six, Jaden Lloyd should settle in the one-one behind the leaders and look to come off their backs in the home straight and let down with a strong finishing burst.
Glasshouse Handicap
Race 8 – 
#18 Fleetwood Maca (6)
5yo Mare | T: Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted | J: Jaden Lloyd (54kg)
$31 with Palmerbet
Best Bet at Sunshine Coast – Defiant Spirit
The Stuart Kendrick-trained Defiant Spirit should be undefeated from his first two career races; however, last start he got too far back and ran out of time to run down the eventual winner, Upstart Legend. On debut, this son of Spirit Of Boom ran on from second last in a five-horse field to run away with a dominant 2.3-length victory at this track and trip. In another small field on Saturday, expect Ryan Maloney to settle mid-field off the rail so when the field rounds the home turn, he can find clear air and run down the leaders.
Best Bet
Race 1 – 
#1 Defiant Spirit (5)
2yo Gelding | T: Stuart Kendrick | J: Ryan Maloney (58kg)
$2.10 with Ladbrokes
Next Best at Sunshine Coast – Ralphie
Running into the very smart Deepour last start, the Gary Doughty-trained Ralphie had to settle for second place – thus ending his three-race unbeaten run. This son of Bel Esprit came flooding home from the rear of the field and was very strong through the line that day, so the step up to 1200m in the Provincial Sprinters Series Final should work for him. Sean Cormack has had six rides for two wins and three placings on this four-year-old gelding, so with him going back aboard this weekend, we should see Ralphie return to the winner’s circle.
Next Best
Race 3 – 
#7 Ralphie (3)
4yo Gelding | T: Gary Doughty | J: Sean Cormack (54.5kg)
$4 with Bet365
Best Value at Sunshine Coast – Love Sensation
Love Sensation found Listed grade too strong in the Eye Liner Stakes last start, so she now drops back to a Benchmark 78. Two starts back, this five-year-old mare took on the Listed Silk Stocking and finished fifth – only beaten 1.8 lengths at this track and trip – missing the placings for the first time at the Sunshine Coast 1400m. Drawing barrier one, Ryan Maloney will likely push forward and take the box seat behind the likely leaders in Canasta and Ancient Girl, before getting off their back so Love Sensation can play a prominent role in the finish.
Best Value
Race 5 – 
#5 Love Sensation (1)
5yo Mare | T: Tony Gollan | J: Ryan Maloney (58kg)
$14 with Neds
Saturday quaddie picks for Caloundra Cup Day
Sunshine Coast quadrella selections
Saturday, July 1, 2023
- 1-2-4-8
- 1-2-4-13
- 3-11-14-15-18
- 1-3-8-13
Investment: $320 for 100%
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