A capacity field of eighteen will line up in the G3 Sunshine Coast Guineas on Saturday and create plenty of headaches for punters sorting through the form. Chris Waller’s Mamwaazel, who makes this trip from Sydney, is the early favourite ($4.50) just in advance of local hopes Palmera Lad and Architect, at $5.00 and $6.50 respectively, who are both jumping up to the mile from 1200m. Hopfgarten is out to brighten up what’s been a quiet Brisbane Carnival for Rob Heathcote and is the only other runner under double figure odds at $6.00.
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1. ARCHITECT – T Bell (17)
A big horse who will appreciate the open spaces of the Sunshine Coast track, this will be his third start in as many weeks. After finding Olympic Anthem a head to strong at Ipswich a fortnight ago, he then enjoyed the solid pace up front in a 3yo Handicap at Eagle Farm and finished over the top of his rivals to win by 3 ½ lengths. The draw will see him get a long way back and does jump up to the mile for the first time but the conditions of this race will suit and he’ll be charging late.
2. HOPFGARTEN – D Browne (16)
A Mossman gelding who won four in a row before lining up in the G3 Fred Best Classic where not much went right. From an inside gate, he settled well back in the big field and finished fourteenth. He bounced back at his next and most recent start with a fourth (2.5 lengths) to Sir Moments in the Listed Daybreak Lover three weeks ago. Draw here is a poor one but his overall record this campaign earns him plenty of respect.
3. HOT SAGA – E Wilkinson (8)
Last week the Real Saga gelding competed in, and finished fifth, in a 3yo Plate at Rockhampton over a mile. He settled down with the tail-enders and made steady ground in the run home to finish two lengths from the winner. That was his fourth run in this prep and if he were to be rated a legitimate chance of winning here, needed to be winning there.
4. BODEGA NERA – B El Issa (12)
Lightly raced gelding trained by Gold Coast conditioner Bruce Hill; he has contested some of the leading 3yo races during the Brisbane Carnival with results better than what they read on paper. He got back to near last and finished eighth (5.2 lengths) behind Amexed in the G3 Rough Habit before finishing twelfth but only four lengths from the winner Sir Moments, in the G2 QLD Guineas (1400m). Form out of that race has been very good and he did easily account for Hopfgarten last spring. Capable of running a better race than his $26 would suggest.
5. ANYMORE – A Allen (20)
Has had two starts back from a fifteen week spell with the first being a second, as 15/8 favourite, in a Toowoomba BM 70 (1200m). The son of All Bar One got too far back on the slow track and was unable to reel in the winner but from a good draw, settled much closer in last fortnight’s 3yo race on Ipswich Cup day. He held on well for fourth (3.3 lengths) behind Olympic Anthem and Architect but won’t get a sweet run on Saturday from a horror draw and has too much improvement to make to account for that.
6. PALMERA LAD – V Colgan (11)
He has been mixing his efforts in four runs back from a break. He ran third in the Gold Coast Guineas behind the smart pair of Dothraki and Safeguard but then didn’t make much of an impression from back in the field in the G3 Fred Best Classic. The Roslyn Pratt trained galloper than ran a bottler in the G2 QLD Guineas, running seventh but finishing within 1 ¾ lengths of Sir Moments when coming from last. Had three weeks off after that run and had to drop back to 1200m at his most recent start as his final hit-out for this race and find his opponents too nippy over the trip and finished sixth (5.1 lengths) behind Architect. Stepping up back up to mile will see a sharp improvement.
7. ELITE ECHELON – A Spinks (2)
Won his fourth race at his tenth start late May, when defeating nine rivals in an 3yo Open (1400m) race on the Sunshine Coast. His only start since then saw him head into town for a Class 5 at Doomben where he failed to impress as a 3/1 chance, coming home in ninth spot and near on ten lengths from the winner. Can’t have him in the chances on that effort.
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8. CASINO BENJO – J Byrne (3)
Casino Prince colt who has had eighteen of his twenty-two starts on his home track of Rockhampton, where he has won three. Each of his four trips to Brisbane, have seen him well accounted for on each occasion and that should be the case here as well.
9. L’ENTRECOTE – R Wiggins (18)
Kelly Schweida’s galloper won his fourth race at only his eighth start, when successful in an Ipswich Class 3 (1350m) two starts back. He returned to that same course and distance to run a credible sixth (4.3 lengths) in the 3yo Handicap behind Olympic Anthem last weekend. Enjoyed a relative good run from an inside gate but hard to think that’ll happy again this week after drawing eighteen.
10. SANTOYA CAT – R McMahon (4)
Resumed this spell four starts ago with a nose victory in an Eagle Farm Class 2 (1300m) before being beaten, albeit just, as favourite at his next two starts – a Ipswich Class 3 (1350m) and Sunshine Coast Open (1400m) where he had every chance in the run. Settled in the box seat at Ipswich last weekend but was unable to capitalize on his position, finishing seventh (4.4 lengths) behind Olympic Anthem. He is drawn to get another good run but needs to improve significantly on last week’s run.
11. SMART HUSS – R McMahon (7)
Specked in betting, 20’s into 16’s but let his supporters down when ninth (4.7 lengths) behind Sir Moments in the Listed Daybreak Lover (1600m) but was again met with support 14’s into 10’s in last weekend’s 3yo race at Ipswich and this time, gave those who took the price a good showing, closing from well back in the field to run third (2.5 lengths) behind Olympic Anthem. Comes from an astute yard (Meagher Racing) and the betting activity at his recent starts, and last start effort, are encouraging. One to keep closely monitored.
12. COMACINA – A Butler (1)
Stable-mate to Smart Huss, this Dane Shadow gelding will be lining up for only his fifth start. The winner of his first three starts, he too made good ground in the same race as Smart Huss last week, claiming fifth (3.5 lengths) behind Olympic Anthem. Ashley Butler rode him last week, and he has been shifted to the Smart Huss whilst Jason Taylor takes the ride here.
13. MAMWAAZEL – C Munce (6)
Representing Chris Waller’s Rosehill stables, this Exceed And Excel filly has been racing in consistent fashion in the Benchmark 70 – 80 range in Sydney recently. She lugged 58.5kgs to down Sugar Rush – who has since won in Sydney – two starts back before running fourth (3.2 lengths) after settling handy to the speed, to Dowdstown Charlie on a slow track. Not as effective in the going last start, each of her three wins have come on top of the ground. Cannot dismiss the trainer or his horses in feature races and this filly is going well enough to give this shake.
14. QUEST FOR PEACE – J Taylor (10)
She ran a nose second, as a 40/1 chance, to Best Is Yet To Come in the Listed Princess Stakes (1600m) three starts back, before failing to handle the heavy conditions when second to last in the Gold Coast Guineas. The daughter of Hard Spun, trained by Tony Edmonds on the Gold Coast, then draw seventeen in the QLD Guineas, ran wide during the run and finished thirteenth, 4.8 lengths behind Sir Moments. That effort was ok given it was her run in transit and that it was her first for four weeks. Can expect a better effort again here and does have a fourth to Divine Calling to her name when racing in Victoria last year.
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15. MISS HUSSON – L Cassidy (13)
In three runs back from a spell, the Bruce Hill trained filly has competed in the 3yo feature races, running sixth in the Gold Coast Guineas first up and following that up with a seventh (2.9 lengths) in the Fred Best Classic. She then had her chance in the QLD Guineas settling just behind the speed from a good draw but finding the competition too strong late and finishing seventh (4.4 lengths) behind Sir Moments. Won’t find this race much easier.
16. PERFORMA – (5)
Given a six week break after failing on the heavy track when eleventh in the Gold Coast Bracelet and returned a fortnight ago with a commanding 2 ¾ length win in BM 70 at Dalby. The Roma galloper had been going well too prior to the Gold Coast Bracelet and ran sixth (1.9 lengths) in the Listed Princess Stakes (1600m) behind Best Is Yet To Come. Stronger race here though and will need to produce a career best.
17. CORUBA QUEEN – G Goold (9)
Made it three on the trot with a ¾ length win a week and a half ago in a Class 3 for Fillies and Mares at Doomben. She’s progressing through her grades well but not well enough to claim a race like this at this.
18. TIRARRI – (14)
Choisir filly has been well accounted for in each of her past three starts, the most recent of which saw her run second to last in a Class 3 at Doomben. Aiming way too high here.
19. FAST ARROW – K Wharton (15)
Locally trained filly by Lion Heart who won three in a row, Maiden, Class 1 and Class 2, before running narrow second in a Class 3 and then at her most recent start, in a BM 75. Doing everything right by connections at the moment but will find this race too tough.
20. ROCK OF DIAMONDS – G Colless (21)
Well bred filly by Fastnet Rock that recorded her third win from five starts three weeks ago, when too strong late in a Class 3 (1800m) on the Gold Coast. Faces a significantly tougher race here and if gains a start, will be coming from the outside gate in a big field.
21. ABADDON – (19)
Only commenced his career last month and took out a Gold Coast Maiden (1100m) by half a length. The Stravinsky gelding has since finishing fourth in both a Gold Coast Class 2 and Doomben Class 1 and there’s easier races than this available for him.
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RACE OVERVIEW
Not a great deal on paper here and with many getting to a mile for the first time, it’s hard to be support any of these horse with a great deal of confidence. There was plenty of good form leading into and coming out of the QLD Guineas and taking a line through that race, Palmera Lad rates on top. Found the 1200m just too sharp at his recent trip and the way he hit the line in the Guineas (1400m) would suggest the mile on the big Sunshine Coast track would be ideal. Mamwaazel has all the right credentials to figure here. Leading stable, top jockey, good dry and the likelihood of a firm track mean it’s hard to leave her out. The value for mine here comes form the Meagher pair of Smart Huss and Comicina. Both lightly raced and showing signs of betting things to come. Each will start from a handy gate and at double figure odds, can run bold races.
- PALMERA LAD
- MAMWAAZEL
- COMACINA
- SMART HUSS
