| What | Sunshine Coast Races |
| Where | Corbould Park Racecourse – 170 Pierce Avenue, Caloundra QLD |
| When | Friday, January 7, 2022 |
| Feature Race | Race 5 | Listed Christmas Classic (1200m) |
| First Race | 5:38pm AEST |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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HorseBetting’s Queensland form analyst brings you his best bets, value bet and quaddie numbers for Friday night’s eight-race meeting at the Sunshine Coast. The first two races on the card will be run and won on the Polytrack, before the remaining six go back to the course proper, where the track is rated a Soft 5 and the rail is out 10m. The opening race is set to jump at 5:38pm AEST, and that’s where we will go for our best bet.
Best Bet – Race 1 #1 Private Sector
The first horse in the racebook is Lee Freedman’s Private Sector. The three-year-old gelding has had just the two starts in his career so far, running seventh on debut at Moonee Valley behind to subsequent Listed winners, Crystal Bound and He’s Xceptional, before being relocated to Freedman’s Gold Coast stable. The son of Capitalist started odds on in his only Queensland run where he was narrowly beaten in a 900m Maiden on the August 21, 2021. Since then, Private Sector has trialled twice, winning over 1000m at the Gold Coast in October and then running third over 900m in December, so he should be fit and ready to fire first-up over 1000m. Drawn well in barrier six under Samantha Collett, this gelding should get the run of the race outside the speed, providing Collett doesn’t choose to push on and take up the running. There isn’t a lot of depth in this race, and that form around Crystal Bound simply jumps off the page, so we are expecting him to win his maiden in the opening race of the evening.
Next Best – Race 3 #1 Thelwell
The horses go back to the turf for race three and a pretty promising two-year-old will go around. Sharryn Livingstone and Justin Stanley combine with Thelwell, a son of Bel Esprit who really made the Magic Millions 2YO Classic favourite work for her victory at Doomben last start. Despite being sent out as a $101 chance (With Sportsbet Australia) in the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes, Thelwell finished a game second to Coolangatta over 1200m, and raced away from the rest of the field, including Swiss Exile, Bright Blue Sky and Palazzo Spirit. His form prior to that over 1000m was full of merit, running third on debut behind Heroic Son in one of the first two-year-old races for the new season, before finishing 2.75 lengths away from Palazzo Spirit and Hard To Say at Listed level on December 11. Livingstone has elected to drop him back to 1000m on Friday night which should suit, while the massive drop in grade is going to be a massive advantage for him. Justin Stanley has been aboard this gelding in his past two starts, so having him remain in the saddle from barrier five is a great plus. If Coolangatta was here, she’d be $1.04, so we are banking that the 2.25-length margin behind her makes this youngster very hard to beat.
Best Value – Race 6 #8 Adonisea
In the second leg of the quaddie, Gary Duncan and Leah Kilner team up with local galloper, Adonisea. The four-year-old has had three starts at the Sunshine Coast for two wins and a narrow second, so we are banking on him relishing getting back to Corbould Park. The son of Krupt went second-up into one of the most competitive Class 3 plates you will see in South-East Queensland on Boxing Day, finishing behind Mass Destruction and Boomnova, so back to a much weaker Class 3 Handicap should suit. The gelding didn’t fire a shot in that race, running second last and finishing seven lengths off the eventual winner, but he had to work early from barrier 11 and was somewhat entitled to knock up late. Adonisea has drawn the inside alley on Friday night, so Leah Kilner can use the fence to her advantage to hold a position closer to the speed, which will give her mount a genuine winning chance in the straight. Adonisea loves it at the Sunny Coast, so he can win this at more than a $12 quote with the top Australian bookmakers.
Sunshine Coast quaddie tip
| Sunshine Coast quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-4-5-6-11 |
| Leg 2: | 2-3-4-8-9 |
| Leg 3: | 1-5-7-11 |
| Leg 4: | 3-6-10 |
| Investment: | $300 for 100% |
