Magic Millions Race Day Betting Tips & Top Odds | Gold Coast
| What | Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday |
| Where | Aquis Park, Gold Coast Turf Club – Racecourse Road, Bundall QLD/td> |
| When | Saturday, January 15, 2022 |
| Feature Race | Race 7 | Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) |
| First Race | 12:15pm AEST |
| Watch Live | |
The highlight of the Queensland Summer Carnival is upon us, with the running of the $10 million Gold Coast Magic Millions race day taking place on Saturday. HorseBetting’s Queensland racing analyst has done the form for this nine-race meeting, and brings you his free race-by-race preview, top four selections in each race, best bets, value bet and quaddie numbers for the Gold Coast’s premier day. The track is rated a Soft 5 at the time of writing, while the rail is out 1.5m from the 900m to the 400m and true in the remainder of the course. The first of nine will jump at 12:15pm AEST, with the running of the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden, before the two $2 million races begin at 4pm and 4:45pm respectively.
Race 1: Magic Millions Maiden Plate (1200m)
As is tradition, this bumper meeting is kicked off with the running of the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden Plate over 1200m. A capacity field of 16 has been assembled, with a further five emergencies awaiting a run. Visiting from Victoria is Ben & JD Hayes who saddle up Chart Buster, a six-start maiden galloper. The four-year-old son of Akeed Mofeed started his career with a fifth in Listed company at Flemington, before running an almighty second to Crown Mint at his second starting, beating home Itzhot and Ain’tnodeeldun. Having come up to the Gold Coast in December, the stable opted to trial him at this track over 1000m on January 4, where he wore blinkers for the first time and bolted in to win the trial by three lengths. He wears blinkers for the first time under race conditions on Saturday and should be in a handy spot from barrier 11 under Jake Noonan. He will be almighty hard to beat, and we are pretty confident that the bookies have got the price wrong.
Selections: 2-1-9-6
Race 2: Magic Millions Open (1800m)
Just a field of 10 will contest the Magic Millions Open over 1800m, where Wheelhouse will run the favourite in an attempt to repeat Paradee’s heroics in winning The Wave and the Magic Millions Open within seven days of each other. Also coming out of The Wave is Richard & Michael Freedman’s grey, Love Tap. The son of Tapit tried to lead all of the way in last weekend’s event, but fitness just told late as he knocked up in the concluding stages to run fifth, just four lengths off Wheelhouse and Dzsenifer. Love Tap was first-up at 1400m this time in, before jumping up to 1800m on a wet track, so he was entitled to tire, however he should now be rock-hard fit. From barrier one, Tim Clark can take up the running and look to run them into the ground. There is a key weight swing in Love Tap’s favour, as he meets Wheelhouse and Dzsenifer 2.5kg and 1.5kg better off. He can turn the tables here.
Selections: 3-4-1-6
Race 3: Magic Millions Subzero (2400m)
The stayers get their chance in the Magic Millions Subzero over 2400m, where Bjorn Baker’s gelding Parry Sound comes up favourite. The six-year-old son of Pierro was a strong winner of the Group 3 Summer Cup at Randwick on Boxing Day, where he defeated Criaderas and Polly Grey by three quarters of a length. The gelding only carried 53kg on that occasion, so the rise to the top weight of 59kg could be an ask, but he is coming out of a Group 3 event, back to this restricted race, so it is only fair. At the back end of last campaign, Parry Sound finished third in both the McKell Cup behind Stockman, and in the Grafton Cup behind Purrfect Deal over 2350m. He should relish the rise to a mile and a half and prove very hard to beat under James McDonald. It is quite a weak race outside of him.
Selections: 1-2-5-7
Race 4: Magic Millions Fillies & Mares (1300m)
One of the highlights of this day every year is the $1 million Fillies & Mares race, and this year looks to be another cracker. Last year’s winner Krone is back to try and win the race again, while the third placegetter, Snapdancer, is looking to finish higher up on the podium in 2022. The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained five-year-old has only had three starts since running half a length away in third 12 months ago, but we think that that was all a part of this astute stable’s plans. The mare by Choisir placed behind Probabeel in February, before finishing ninth at Group 3 level later on that month, which was ultimately her last run for the preparation. She has had two trials and just the one race since November 30, which should have her ready and raring to go fresh. James McDonald will do the steering from barrier eight, so we shouldn’t need to worry about much bad luck. We’re confident that this is one of the better bets on the program.
Selections: 7-3-10-1
Race 5: Magic Millions Snippets (1200m)
Named in honour of the very first winner of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, the Snippets always attracts a quality field, and this year is no different with class all across the park. Isotope makes her long awaited return, while Away Game is looking to add to her terrific record on this day. We are with one who has been kind to us already this preparation, in the form of the Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted-trained Totally Charmed. The seven-year-old gelding has been set for this race for quite a while now, with the plan to come into this off a five-week freshen quite possibly about to pay dividends. The son of I Am Invincible is only lightly raced due to a few injuries he has picked up throughout his career, but the stable are confident that keeping him fresh is the key to his success, which we saw last start in the Listed Bribie Handicap. He will get back under Baylee Nothdurft from barrier 13, but he races best with a cover up which allows him to sprint quickly. He is supremely underrated.
Selections: 4-6-14-7
Race 6: Magic Millions Cup (1400m)
For our preview of the Magic Millions Cup, click here.
Selections: 7-17-1-4
Race 7: Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m)
For our full runner-by-runner guide to the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic, click here.
Selections: 14-11-12-9
Race 8: Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m)
For our full runner-by-runner guide to the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, click here.
Selections: 2-6-11-3
Race 9: Magic Millions QTIS Open (1300m)
To round out what is set to be a terrific day of racing, a field of 16 gallopers will go toe-to-toe over 1300m in the QTIS Open. Given that QTIS is a Racing Queensland bonus scheme, the field is typically made up of Queensland sprinters, with Annabel Neasham and Matt Dunn the only two trainers to bring their horses north of the border. Despite doing a lot of her racing in Queensland, the Matt Dunn-trained visitor, Lady Banff¸ looks very hard to beat in this race, after running a narrow second behind Lady Of Luxury at this track and distance on Saturday. The four-year-old mare by Top Echelon drops 3.5kg from that run down to 54kg on the minimum, so she will barely know herself. Drawn barrier 10, Jason Collett is likely to get back on her, but she should be able to get to the outside, which is quite often the best part of the track by the time this race goes around. We are happy to back her and last year’s runner-up Stuttering at each way odds.
Selections: 13-9-4-1
Saturday quaddie tips for Gold Coast
| Gold Coast quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-4-7-17 |
| Leg 2: | 3-8-9-11-12-14-16 |
| Leg 3: | 2-3-6-11 |
| Leg 4: | 1-4-9-13 |
| Investment: | $448 for 100% |