Gold Coast hosts $1.5 million Jewel race day
The Odyssey has won the 2YO Jewel at the Gold Coast in the last race before the $1.5 million race day was abandoned due to the rain. Read about all the winners from the day and what officials plan to do with the remaining races here.
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Race 7 - QTIS 2YO Jewel (1200m)
THE rain had trainer Kelly Schweida momentarily worried but The Odyssey proved unstoppable in Satuday’s QTIS 2YO Jewel.
The $3.30 favourite was touted as the one to beat in the week leading into the $500,000 sprint and didn’t disappoint.
The Odyssey led early and despite the heavy track, held off his rivals down the straight to claim the win.
It has taken the colt’s career prizemoney to $557,550, some of which is coming back Schweida’s way thanks to wife Vera who owns a 10 per cent share in him.
“I was sort of worried when the rain cam (but) it was a really good effort,” Schweida said.
“A lot of work goes into it, even right down to the float drivers not bringing it in too early before the races.
“It was a really good effort. (He is) a really good little horse and we are very excited.
“He is a two-year-old who has already won ($557,550) so God bless him.”
The meeting was abandoned following the conclusion of the main race.
Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Steve Lines said the 3YO Jewel would be shifted to next Saturday’s Eagle Farm meeting while the Goldmarket would be held on the same day at Gold Coast.
Race 6- Gold Coast Stakes (1800m)
TALENTED mare Mishani Vaidra has doubled her career prizemoney in one race.
The four-year-old won Saturday’s Gold Coast Stakes for trainer Ben Currie, with the $72,500 on offer to the winner being doubled to $145,000 by the QTIS bonus.
It comes after Mishani Vaidra won first-up at Doomben as she tracks towards the Toowoomba Cup on April 6.
“She has come back really good,” Currie said.
“We were pretty confident she could run really well first-up and she was able to get the job done.
“Obviously with the big money on offer today we thought we had to come and have a crack.
“She come back a bigger and stronger mare this time.
“We have always had the Toowoomba cup as her main goal. To win these two on the way through is a big bonus. Today the money is insane that is on offer so really pleased to see her win.”
Race 5 - Benchmark 70 Handicap (1200m)
All Pluck has continued her record of finding success on damp tracks, relishing the wet conditions at Gold Coast on the way to winning the Benchmark 70 Handicap.
The Tony Gollan-trained five-year-old gelding produced the second win of her four-run preparation, to the delight of the trainer’s foreman Holly Williams.
“We just wanted to land midfield and have an uninterrupted last 300m and that’s what he got,” Williams said.”
All Pluck has finished first and secured three seconds and a fifth from five previous starts on heavy tracks.
“The weather wasn’t going to be a worry for this guy,” Williams said.
“He is ticking over beautifully now. At the start of the prep he put in a few ordinary runs but he is coming into good form now.”
Race 4 - Benchmark 70 Handicap (1200m)
The biggest disappointment of Gary Doughty’s racing career has delivered his third win in his past five starts.
Cabeirian won Saturday’s Benchmark 70 Handicap (1200m) at Aquis Park in heavy conditions, a week after finishing fifth at a provincial meeting on the same track.
“That was great. He has been a headache this horse,” Doughty said.
“He has been my biggest disappointment in racing, he really has.
“He has now won two in town.
“(Last) Saturday night I was taking the blinkers off him. I woke about 1am Sunday morning and thought, no we will shorten him in distance and leave the hood on him.
“He has won three out of five with the hood on. He has turned me grey.”
Race 3 - No Metro Wins Handicap (900m)
Mackay-based trainer Lyle Wright hopes his maiden metropolitan win is a prelude to success in the 3YO Jewel.
Wright made the eight hour journey south in the middle of the night on Wednesday to bring Allround Glory and Cyclone Topgirl to the Gold Coast to test their ability in higher grades.
Wright knew the two were poised to produce their best after getting through the trip in top order and he got off to the perfect start when Allround Glory won the No Metro Wins Handicap (900m).
“We came down in the middle of the night and they travelled beautifully,” Wright said.
“They never turned a hair. They got here in good shape and haven’t stopped eating ever since.”
Wright has previously finished second with just two previous runners at the Gold Coast and had never secured a metropolitan win. That has now changed.
“I haven’t had many runners, probably half a dozen (at metropolitan level),” Wright said.
“I have 10 in work now but a few nice quality horses.”
Race 2 - Benchmark 85 Handicap (2400m)
The Chris Waller stable has won the first two races of the day at Gold Coast, with Wu Gok finding the line first in the BenchMark 85 Handicap (2400m).
Stable foreman Paul Shailer said it was one of the slowest run staying races he has seen in Queensland, with the field finishing 12 seconds off the track record.
“I thought there were going to be a couple of hurdles down the straight,” Shailer joked post race.
“They were walking weren’t they. Generally our staying races are run pretty slow just because of a lack of numbers. It certainly took it to a new level today.”
Shailer praised the ride of jockey Michael Cahill.
“It was another great ride. He just settled back in a slow race and he trapped up and saved ground on the fence,” Shailer said.
“He wore the leader down late. It was a big grinding effort. I thought his late run had plenty of merit and obviously he adapted to the heavy conditions that played into his hands today.”
Officials shifted the rail out a further 1m before the second race due to an irrigation issue.
Turf Club CEO Steve Lines said a pipe burst around the 250m mark earlier this week and water began to rise around the area.
Race 1 - Hollindale Stakes Class 3 Plate (1800m)
SEE The Master’s unbeaten start to its Queensland career has continued with a win in the Hollindale Stakes at Gold Coast.
The Chris Waller-trained five-year-old won his second straight at Aquis Park on Saturday, proving too strong down the straight on a heavy 10 track to win the opening race of the day ahead of Pickelhaube and Own Street Way.
Paul Shailer, the foreman of Waller’s Gold Coast stable, praised the efforts of Gold Coast jockey Robbie Fradd who steered the gelding home.
“That was a 10 out of 10 ride from Robbie,” Shailer said.
“He managed to get him one off the fence from an inside draw and get to the best part of the track.
“That’s two from two in Queensland now (for See The Master), he’s loving life up here.
“He is up in weight, he carried 59kg today and he is only a small horse but he has done a good job.”
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