NewsBite

THE LAST SAY: Best bets for today’s racing as track poisoning shock forces Gold Coast transfer to Sunshine Coast

The latest tips, market movers and inside mail … Ray Thomas brings you all the information you need to back a winner on a day when the Gold Coast’s inaugural Sunlight meeting was transferred to the Sunshine Coast.

Ray Thomas
5 min read
7:51AMJanuary 04, 2025.
Updated 12:56PMJanuary 04, 2025
Print
Ray Thomas (inset) previews a big day of racing, with Gold Coast track damage (top right) forcing the relocation of its meeting to the Sunshine Coast. Lady Of Camelot (top left) is favourite for the $3m Sunlight at the Sunshine Coast, while Holymanz (bottom left) will defend his Coastal Classic title at Geelong. And Accredited (bottom right) is heavily fancied at Royal Randwick today.
Ray Thomas (inset) previews a big day of racing, with Gold Coast track damage (top right) forcing the relocation of its meeting to the Sunshine Coast. Lady Of Camelot (top left) is favourite for the $3m Sunlight at the Sunshine Coast, while Holymanz (bottom left) will defend his Coastal Classic title at Geelong. And Accredited (bottom right) is heavily fancied at Royal Randwick today.

The inaugural $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight slot race meeting will be run at Sunshine Coast today after the Gold Coast track was deemed unsuitable for racing.

A track inspection at the Gold Coast late on Friday revealed a section of the track near the 500m had suffered significant chemical damage, with investigations continuing.

Two senior jockeys who had galloped horses on course proper told officials they “weren’t 100 per cent happy” with the damaged section of the track.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Racing Queensland considered moving the Gold Coast meeting to Eagle Farm before deciding Sunshine Coast was the more suitable option.

But RQ chief executive Jason Scott indicated he felt that next Saturday’s Magic Millions meeting would still be run at Gold Coast.

Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot remains an easing $3 TAB Fixed Odds favourite with Sunshine Coast rated a Heavy 8 on race morning. The brilliant filly is untested on anything worse than a Soft 5.

Unbeaten Newcastle three-year-old Private Harry is into $5 second favouritism with Arabian Summer at $7.

• Pride confident Accredited, In Flight can go the distance at Randwick

At Royal Randwick, the Joe Pride-trained Accredited has firmed into $1.65 favouritism to make it three wins in succession in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1400m).

This Saturday has a very different feel to it with Sunshine Coast, Geelong (Victoria) and Murray Bridge (South Australia) hosting stand-alone meetings.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

ROYAL RANDWICK
Weather: Warm, sunny day with a forecast top temperature is 32c.
Track: Good (4)
Rail: 3m out

• RANDWICK EXPERT TIPS: Professional punter James Molony’s race-by-race tips and analysis

SUNSHINE COAST
Weather: Warm, partly cloudy day with the chance of showers in the morning and a forecast top temperature is 27c.
Track: Heavy (8)
Rail: 6m out

• SUNSHINE COAST EXPERT TIPS: Graeme Carey’s best bets, quaddie picks and race-by-race analysis

GEELONG
Weather: Hot, cloudy day with a forecast top temperature of 36c.
Track: Good (4)
Rail: True

• GEELONG EXPERT TIPS: Mark Guest’s race-by-race tips, analysis and quaddie selections

MURRAY BRIDGE
Weather: Hot, cloudy day with a forecast top temperature is 38c.
Track: Good (4)
Rail: True

• MURRAY BRIDGE, ASCOT EXPERT TIPS: Heath Pope and Aaron Mills’ best bets

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

BE WARY

Randwick is hosting its fourth successive Saturday meeting with the rail out 3m after being in the true position last week. The track has raced very fairly over summer and should do so again today. Sunshine Coast will host the Magic Millions Sunlight meeting with the track rated a heavy 8 and some showers are forecast this morning. The rail is 6m out so watch for any discernible track bias in the early races.

• Tips from the big bookies for Saturday, January 4

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

ROYAL RANDWICK TIPS

THE BEST BET: AKKADIAN EMPEROR (Race 8 No.17) was third emergency but has gained a start after three early scratchings. The Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Akkadian Emperor is only lightly-raced but is very promising if his dominant comeback win over 1850m at Newcastle is any indication. He settled on speed, took a while to balance up in the straight but once he did, he raced clearly to win by more than four lengths. This is a tough race but he’s a progressive young stayer.

THE NEXT BEST: ACCREDITED (Race 4 No.6) should be unbeaten this summer. He was held up for a run then burst through late to just miss behind Yiska at Canterbury then he bolted home at Warwick Farm before winning at Randwick three weeks ago. Accredited has to run a strong 1400m but he won’t get a better opportunity than this race. He’s very short in betting now after the scratchings but should win.

VALUE BET: FIDDLERS GREEN (Race 6 No.4) was dynamic first-up at Hawkesbury then was inconvenienced by a heavy track at Rosehill before his game effort at Randwick last start. He kept working hard to the line to finish second behind the unbeaten Churchill’s Choice in a strong form race over the Randwick mile course. Fiddlers Green is very fit now and still seems good value around $5.50 as this race has been hit by numerous scratchings.

THE WHISPER: IN FLIGHT (Race 7 No.6) has been improved by two runs from a spell including her most recent effort when she closed late for third to Iowna Merc and Time To Boogie. The winner has subsequently taken out the Listed Canterbury Sprint during the week to frank the form. In Flight is yet to be tested at 1200m but she did win third-up last time in and is peaking for this race.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

SUNSHINE COAST TIPS

THE BEST BET: LADY OF CAMELOT (Race 9 No.6) won the Golden Slipper last season and although winless so far as a three-year-old, she raced very well at the highest level. She ran a super race to finish fourth in the Group 1 The Everest behind Bella Nipotina and also ran minor placings in the Moir Stakes and Coolmore Stud Stakes at Group 1 level. She looked in super order winning a barrier trial at Hawkesbury last month and is drawn to get all the favours from gate one. The only concern is the likelihood of a soft track but she should still prove too good.

NEXT BEST: RAPT (Race 7 No.11) only won a Midway at Randwick second-up but it was the dominance of her win that was impossible to ignore. She settled off speed the sprinted brilliantly to take control of the race before easing down near the finish. Rapt has now won three of her last four starts and she handles all types of track conditions. Back her with confidence.

VALUE BET: TUFF TU MUS (Race 5 No.6) is a promising four-year-old from the David Vandyke stable who has won three races in succession (and two second placings) from his five career starts. He was brilliant winning a class two at Doomben over 1350m by more than four lengths then scored another easy win over 1650m at Doomben back in November. He hasn’t raced since but takes residual fitness into this race. Drawn wide but has champion jockey Craig Williams in the saddle and $8 is a good gamble.

THE WHISPER: HEZDARNHOTTOO (Race 10 No.1) showed promise last season, winning two of his four starts including a city midweek win at the Kensington track. He has good natural speed and makes his own luck in races. Hezdarnhottoo is resuming in the closer but his two trials have been good, he’s drawn to advantage and is primed to sprint well.

• LAURIE’S LONGSHOTS: Laurie Sainsbury’s best roughies for today’s racing

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

TAB FIXED ODDS BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS

ROYAL RANDWICK
Race 1: Devil Night $3.60-$3.20, Point Score $8-$5
Race 2: Bundeena $4.60-$3.20, Head of the Herd $11-$7.50, Zoukerino $15-$9
Race 3: Associate $6-$4.60
Race 4: Space Age $13-$10
Race 5: Perfumist $6-$4, Codetta $11-$6
Race 6: Sly Boots $6-$4.20, Fiddlers Green $8-$4.40
Race 7: Amazing Eagle $3.60-$2.80, Disneck $4.60-$2.90
Race 8: Akkadian Emperor $8-$3.80, Jealous $8-$6
Race 9: Apex $6-$4
Race 10: Piggyback $11-$6.50

SUNSHINE COAST
Race 1: Torque To Be Sure $2.80-$2.10
Race 2: La Bella Boom $4.60-$3.80
Race 3: Hell To Pay $2.90-$2.80, Stay Silent $5-$3.50
Race 4: Infatuation $5-2.90, Until Valhalla $8-$6
Race 5: Moravia $3.50-$1.95 including a bet of $2020 at $2.90, Tuff Tu Mus $15-$9
Race 6: Amigo $11-$8, Lady Shotgun $26-$9.50
Race 7: Miss Joelene $5-$4.40
Race 8: Golden Boom $4-$3.40, Prince Of Boom $6-$5.50
Race 9: Private Harry $8-$6.50, Vestas $8-$6.50
Race 10: Cosmic Fire $5-$3.50 with a $3000 bet at $3.40, Hezdarnhottoo $12-$5

• EXPERT TIPS: Cam Happ’s best bets for Geelong

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

GEELONG BEST BETS
Race 6 No.10 HARALDUS
Race 9 No.3 INHIBITIONS

MURRAY BRIDGE BEST BETS
Race 3 No.5 NOVELA
Race 7 No.2 PURE BLISS

KEMBLA GRANGE BEST BETS
Race 7 No.4 MAH ALI
Race 8 No.3 CODE IN TIME

#Good luck today and I hope you back plenty of winners

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

More related stories

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/horse-racing/the-last-say-best-bets-for-todays-racing-as-track-poisoning-shock-forces-gold-coast-transfer-to-sunshine-coast/news-story/aafe05a052438d216d85d2e0a8e26ff0