This Saturday in Queensland the summer racing action hits its peak with the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions Race Day that kicks off with the Magic Millions Maiden Plate 2015.
Kelly Schweida saddles-up the favourite Homehill in the opening Magic Millions race at the Gold Coast this Saturday. Photo: Daniel Costello.
Due to jump at 12:10pm (local) as Race 1, this year’s $100,000 Magic Millions Maiden Plate (1200m) features a capacity field of 16, plus five emergencies, keen to race for the lucrative prize money on offer.
Of the eager hopefuls the top fancy in the latest Magic Millions Maiden Plate betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au at a firming price of $4.60, in from $5, is the Kelly Schweida-trained Homehill.
The Brisbane-based Chateau Istana gelding has been right in the mix with three seconds and a third from seven career starts to date and connections will be hoping he gets the right run to break his maiden status on the weekend.
A close fourth to Soldi Domani in the Listed Gold Edition Plate (1200m) in mid-December Homehill, also runner-up in the Listed Breakfast Creek Stakes (1400m) when only a half-length off the winner at Eagle Farm during the winter, was last seen contesting the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1300m) at the Gold Coast track on December 27.
That day Chris Munce rode him into sixth behind Mywayorthehighway when only two and a half lengths off the winner, who contests the $1 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) on Saturday, and Munce retains the ride in the Maiden Plate from barrier nine.
Following Homehill in the Magic Millions Maiden Plate odds are then five other single figure hopes with:
- #6 Hostwin Pegasus ($6) – Damien Oliver rides this Sydney-based Choisir three-year-old who was sixth in black-type company at Flemington but well-beaten during the autumn and who hasn’t raced since another sixth this time at Moonee Valley behind Bullpit back on March 29. Comes off back-to-back Rosehill trial wins at home however and so is ready to bring that form to the races. The first of those successful hit-outs was also run on a Heavy (10) track so should handle the predicted wet track on the weekend.
- #11 Ambitious Blonde ($6) – Tony Gollan-trained Falvelon filly should get a gun run from barrier six with Tegan Harrison staying on after the duo ran fourth, beaten just over half a length, behind Knightwick Manor at the Sunshine Coast on Boxing Day. Carried 59kg in that race and had barrier 10 of 12. Draw is better here and also will relish going down in weights to 54.5kg. Run before on debut was at Doomben back in 2013 when runner-up to Oakleigh Girl in the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes (1010m). Matured since the setback that saw her sidelined for a year and is a genuine hope.
- #20e Italian Storm ($8) – Rough chance to even make the field as the fourth emergency but the bookies are taking no chances with Toby Edmonds’ Nicconi filly who hasn’t raced since a second behind Sleep Tight over this track and distance in early July. Was only a quarter length off the winner back then and has won two trials also at the Gold Coast since, most recently on December 23 over 1000m so if by a miracle she lines-up will take some beating based on that.
- #2 Sincemybabyleftme ($9) – David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained Sequalo four-year-old has run second twice and finished third in another two of his seven previous runs. Most of those have been out of the big city however including over 1412m when runner-up at Echuca back in August. Hasn’t started since, has a wide draw (10) and will improve off this but think is too short to first-up.
- #17e Elle Lou ($9) – First emergency is a better hope to make the line-up with just one scratching needed. Prepared in Sydney by Hawkes Racing, this Snitzel filly was last seen at Hawkesbury in November when a close second to Minnesota over 1100m. Distance should be okay, seeis it for the first time, but it’s a class rise.
Outside the top six under $10 in betting the next best fancied to break their maiden status in this rich restricted feature are then the lightly-raced Vinnie Loves Me ($10) for Kelso Wood, the widely-drawn Group 1 performer and Group 3 runner-up Sagatonia ($11) with the outside barrier to overcome, Mavericks ($11) in gate three and Bruce Hill’s local Jet Spur gelding Eljetem ($13).
See below for the full Magic Millions Maiden Plate 2015 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and fixed win odds provided by Ladbrokes.com.au who you can win shares in a Peter Moody-trained filly simply by placing a bet on any Gold Coast race this Saturday!
