Sunshine Coast best bets & quaddie tips | February 17, 2023
| What | Sunshine Coast Races |
| Where | Sunshine Coast Turf Club – 170 Pierce Ave, Caloundra QLD 4551 |
| When | Friday, February 17, 2023 |
| First Race | 6:07pm AEST |
The Sunshine Coast Turf Club will host a competitive six-race program this Friday evening. The track is currently rated a Soft 7, but with warm weather and no rain on the forecast for Thursday and Friday, the track should continue to dry out and get to a Soft 5 or 6 come race day. The rail will be out in the +7m position for the entire circuit, while racing gets underway at 6:07pm AEST.
Best Bet at Sunshine Coast – Brave Maso
Our best bet of the night will come up in the first leg of the quaddie, where the Natalie McCall-trained Brave Maso will return from a two-month spell for her 10th career start. This four-year-old mare has been given one trial over 850m at the Sunshine Coast, where she sat at the back of the five-horse field and ran home nicely down the outside under very little riding to take out the trial. This daughter of Cable Bay will be having her first run for new trainer, Natalie McCall, looking to add to her nice fresh record (3:1-1-0). Ben Thompson will have his first ride on this mare on Friday evening and from barrier one we should see Thompson settle this girl at the rear of the field and look to run on down the outside. If the track doesn’t dry out much and we are still racing on relatively soft track, it won’t worry this mare, as she has a win and three seconds in six starts on wet tracks.
Best Bet
Race 3 – 
#8 Brave Maso (1)
4yo Mare | T: Natalie McCall | J: Ben Thompson (55.5kg)
Next Best at Sunshine Coast – Bold Halo
The second race of the day will see Bold Halo return to the Sunshine Coast 1400m, after racing at the same track and distance last start, running fifth behind Love Sensation in a much better field than what he will meet on Friday evening. After having a month off from the races before his last start, we should see this son of Spirit Of Boom at peak fitness once again and ready to run a big race stepping back in grade to a Benchmark 65 Handicap. The softer track shouldn’t worry this gelding as he has two wins from four starts on a Soft track. James Orman will have his first sit on this guy on Friday, and from barrier 13 we should see him settle at the back of the field and look to run on, just like last start. With good speed expected in this race, the race should be set up for a runner making ground from the back of the field, which is exactly where this gelding will be.
Next Best
Race 2 – 
#2 Bold Halo (13)
4yo Gelding | T: Garnett Taylor | J: James Orman (59kg)
Best Value at Sunshine Coast – Millennium Jewel
In the last race of the night, we will see the Jack Bruce-trained Millennium Jewel rise to 1800m for the first time in her career after winning last start over 1600m at this track on February 3. This five-year-old mare will step up from a Benchmark 58 Handicap to a Benchmark 65 Handicap on Friday evening but considering the ease in which she won last start, she should be able to make the step up and handle it well. Heidi Gillie will retain the ride after riding this mare to victory last start, and with the aid of her 3kg claim, she will only have to carry 53.5kg which is just above the minimum weight for the race. If Gillie can settle this girl in a similar position one horse of the fence and within two lengths off the leaders, we should see this mare run home strong down the outside in the concluding stages of the 1800m event.
Best Value
Race 6 – 
#8 Millennium Jewel (4)
5yo Mare | T: Jack Bruce | J: Heidi Gillie (a3) (56.5kg)
Friday quaddie picks for the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast quadrella selections
Friday, February 17, 2023
- 4-8-9
- 1-5-6-7
- 2-5-10-11
- 1-2-5-8
Investment: $192 for 100%