Caloundra Cup: Top Sunshine Coast horses to watch at races

Coast horses will look to capitalise on a home track advantage when the rescheduled Caloundra Cup day flies out of the gates. SEE THE LIST

Coast trainer Gary “Jack” Duncan believes Dzsenifer is primed to chase a rare lucrative double despite uncertainties over a heavier track rating at the rescheduled Caloundra Cup meet.

Duncan will be among a host of local trainers looking to make the most of the home track advantage at one of Corbould Park’s biggest meets of the year on Sunday.

The Caloundra Cup race day was scheduled for July 3 but was postponed to this weekend after heavy rain affected the track.

Sunday’s nine-race metropolitan card will feature the Group 3 Winx Guineas, Listed Glasshouse Handicap and Listed Caloundra Cup.

Duncan will have plenty of top runners, with Dzsenifer in the $175,000 Winx Guineas among his biggest hopes.

The Coast trainer is on the hunt to go back-to-back in the race, having taken it out with stablemate Wapiti last year.

The Gary Duncan trained Wapiti won the Winx Guineas at Corbould Park last year. Picture: Tom Threadingham

Dzsenifer was an “unlucky” third last start at Ipswich in June after a 157 day spell.

The three-year-old filly won one and was second twice among her other four outings in November and December last year.

“She’s had one run (since returning) and went good, she was a bit unlucky but I’m pretty happy with her,” Duncan said.

He was unsure about a wetter track this weekend, currently listed as a heavy eight, with Dzsenifer having achieved her success on soft and good rated tracks in the past.

Regardless, he held high hopes.

“Slow would be alright but I’m not sure about the heavy ground,” Duncan said.

“She’s a good horse so she’ll certainly take some beating I’d say.”

Duncan will also have four other gallopers in action across the meet with Love Express, Indispensable, Incerto and Goldsborough.

“They’re all looking pretty good actually,” he said.

“Indispensable and Love Express both like wet ground so they'll be certainly hard to beat.

“Goldsborough is a pretty good horse, I don’t know about him on the heavy ground but he’d certainly be hard to beat too.”

Here’s a selection of the other Coast trainers and notable horses to watch at the Caloundra Cup race meet:

-The below list was compiled on Wednesday ahead of barriers being released.

GARY “JACK” DUNCAN

Cup Day: Has four runners on the day, including Dzsenifer, Indispensable, Love Express and Incerto

Horse: Dzsenifer

Race: Winx Guineas

Form this season: 5–1–2–1

Last start: Third

Comment: Duncan pleased with Dzsenifer’s efforts of late with the filly “unlucky” in her last start third.

Horse: Indispensable

Race: Reed Racing Class 6 Handicap

Form this season: 13–4–5–0 (overall) but 2-0-2-0 (after acquired by Duncan)

Last start: Second

Comment: Duncan says Indispensable enjoys the wet ground, with Corbould Park currently rated a Heavy-8.

Horse: Love Express

Race: Sunshine Coast Business Solutions Bm75 Handicap

Form this season: 7–1–0–1

Last start: Sixth

Comment: Duncan says Love Express enjoys the wet ground, with Corbould Park currently rated a Heavy-8.

Horse: Goldsborough

Race: Access Insulation Sunshine Coast Three-Year-Old Handicap

Form this season: 6–3–0–2

Last start: First

Comment: While unsure as to performance on wet track Duncan says Goldsborough will be “hard to beat”.

Horse: Incerto

Race: Access Insulation Sunshine Coast Three-Year-Old Handicap

Form this season: 4–2–1–0

Last start: Second

Comment: Has claimed two wins and a second among its first career races.

Sheila Laxon and John Symons

JOHN SYMONS & SHEILA LAXON

Cup Day: Has two runners on the day including Without Thinking and So Dapper

Horse: Without Thinking

Race: Winx Guineas

Form this season: 4–3–0–0

Last start: Sixth

Comment: Has some imposing form despite a last start sixth, having claimed three wins from four races so far this season. Has a 100 per cent win rate on the country circuit and 66 per cent placing rate in the metro meets from it’s six career races.

TREVOR MILLER

Cup Day: Trevor Miller has two runners on Cup day including Victory Eight and Better Lad

Horse: Victory Eight

Race: Caloundra Cup

Form this season: 12–1–0–1

Last start: Eight

Comment: One of only two local horses in the Caloundra Cup, with Paul Jenkins’ Picka Plum also in the mix. While Victory Eight’s form for the season hasn’t been the best, it also hasn’t been long between drinks for the seven-year-old gelding, having taken out a $75,000 handicap only three races ago in May.

Trainer Natalie McCall with Platinum Euros. Picture: Trackside Photography

NATALIE MCCALL

Cup Day: Has four runners on the day, including Maestoso, The Sinner, Hamlet Von Snitzel and Sacca

Horse: Sacca

Race: Butler Mcdermott Lawyers Bruce Mclachlan Classic Two-Years-Old Handicap

Form this season: 3–1–0–1

Last start: First

Comment: The gelding has kick started his career in form, earning a win and third in his opening three races. His third place finish was on a heavy 8 rated track too across the 1000m distance. With a last start win over the 1000m, Sacca is a Coast talent to watch as he continues his burgeoning career this weekend.

DAVID VANDYKE

Cup Day: Has six runners on the day including Desert Lord, Splendoronthegrass, L’cosmo, Tato Key, Weboughtazou and One for Betty

Horse: Desert Lord

Race: Glasshouse Handicap

Form this season: 6–3–1–1

Last start: First

Comment: The six-year-old gelding has enjoyed a big season so far, placing in all but one of his six races, including three wins. Desert Lord is an early $4.50 favourite (on Wednesday) among the betting agencies. Vandyke has trained some heavyweights in the past including Australian Guineas winner Alligator Blood and dual Group I winner Yankee Rose.

Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick.

STUART KENDRICK

Cup Day: Has big mix of 10 runners on the day including Plenty, He Can Star, Got My Thrills, Cabochon Lil, Silesian, Fort Wayne, The Darling, Salbris, Clairvue Lady and Carribean King.

Horse: Got My Thrills

Race: Sunshine Coast Business Solutions Bm75 Handicap

Form this season: 8–1–3–1

Last start: Second

Comment: Has enjoyed a solid season to date, placing runner up in the last two starts in June and May. Has proven to perform in heavy conditions too, having placed third in a heavy 9 rated track in December and runner up in a heavy 10 rated track in May last year. Both those races were on the Sunshine Coast as well.

GARNETT TAYLOR

Cup Day: Has four runners on the day including Bold Style, Spirit Esprit, Bold Assassin and Bold and Lucy.

Horse: Spirit Esprit

Race: Sunshine Coast Business Solutions Bm75 Handicap

Form this season: 5–2–0–1

Last start: First

Comment: Has enjoyed a nice season to date, placing in three of five starts including two wins and a third.

Jake Bayliss on Picka Plum at Corbould Park, Caloundra, in 2019.

PAUL JENKINS

Cup Day: Has two runners on the day including Renouf and Picka Plum.

Horse: Renouf

Race: Sunshine Coast Business Solutions Bm75 Handicap OR Sky Racing Provincial Sprinters Series (Final) Benchmark 80 Handicap

Form this season: 6–3–0–1

Last start: Fourth

Comment: Jenkins has only had the horse since March, with Renouf winning three straight races in April and May at Sunshine Coast, with last start a solid fourth, also on the Coast.