WINNO'S WINNERS: GOLD COAST, AUGUST 18, 2018
By Darren Winningham | Friday, August 17, 2018
Well it is racing on the GOLD COAST this weekend!
I think the track will be in perfect condition. The track is rated “GOOD” and the rail will be in the true position this weekend. Wonderful warm weather is predicted – it is a great track to enjoy racing – all roads lead to the Gold Coast Turf Club this weekend.
In WINNO NEWS this week.
The mighty mare WINX is back racing this weekend – can she continue here dominant performances and go on to claim another W.S.Cox Plate in 2018?
I rarely go into other sports, but I must have a crack at the Brisbane Broncos this week. Clearly there is dissention between the master coach Wayne Bennett and the Board and speculation is rife that he will be dethroned at the end of the season and replaced.
My mail is that the current Souths Coach Anthony Seibold will take over the reins around November this year. Looks like ex-Canterbury Bulldogs and Manly Sea-Eagles Coach Des Hasler may be roosting back at his old stomping grounds at Manly with Trent Barrett all set to depart.
The NRL “silly season” has started – but not with players this year – coaches are in the firing line!
I will be absent from the track for a couple of weeks after some surgery earlier in the week. The cameras have been sent for a service and I will be back bigger and better in a fortnight or so!
Thanks for those who have sent messages and texts!
NB: As this form assessment was made prior to race-day, please check final fields and track conditions for any changes on the day.
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Race 1
Looks like a nice race of the Gollan Racing trained Prue’s Angel (1) and jockey Brad Stewart. She won last start at Doomben and is third up here this weekend. She has won here at the Gold Coast and I think, despite the large weight, she could land the chocolates this weekend.
Two local runners are the Toby Edmonds trained Awake The Stars (2) and Deer Mountain (3) who are both owned and raced by the Segenhoe Group. Awake the Stars (2) went around last weekend and just seemed to peak on her run around the 70-metre mark – but I think it may have just have been the way the race was run and the large weight that she had to carry.
She is on a quick back-up here and she was heavily backed to win last week. Maybe we should chase our money back on her home track where she has won four times.
The stable mate is Deer Mountain (3) who won midweek at Doomben last start. Winning form is good form and maybe she can get a second consecutive win here.
The other runner to note is Sornja (5) who is third up this weekend. Last start she was defeated by Prue’s Angel (1) but I think the distance of 1200 metres that start was too short. She meets the winner around 4 kilograms better for that defeat here this weekend and Matthew McGillivray has been engaged by Steven O’Dea to see if she can get back into the winner’s stalls.
Selections: 1-5-2-3
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Race 2
Mywifesaidno (3) won and then lost on protest last start at the Sunshine Coast for trainer Natalie McCall over 1400 metres. He gets his chance to reverse that loss here this weekend over the same distance. I think that the gelding will strip fitter this week and he will be competitive.
A Man To Watch (1) resumes here after a spell for Tony Gollan. He has had a recent trial at Doomben over 1000 metres where he was not asked to do too much. I think there is a definite lead here with this runner resuming over 1400 metres and he will be ready to run a good race.
The stable mate of Man To Watch (1) is Trail of Glory (6) who is looking for a hat trick of wins this weekend after wins here and Ipswich in her past two runs. She normally races close to the speed and will be ridden perfectly by Mark Du Plessis.
Selections: 3-1-6-5
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Race 3
Darktown Strutter (7), trained by Kelly Schweida, resumed last start at Ipswich with a nice win over 1000 metres. She drops back to 900 metres this start and is undefeated second up. With Jeff Lloyd in the saddle she looks a nice chance from barrier 6.
Colinelle (8) is trained by Steven O’Dea and resumes here. This six-year-old is only lightly raced and has raced well fresh in the past. He was solid in a barrier trial a month ago and looks well placed here – the only concern is that it is his first look at the Gold Coast track.
Tina Cotsiopoulos trains Blue Seattle (11) who will be ridden by Andrew Spinks. I thought his trial a fortnight ago was enormous. With $14 on offer and with a great first up record and a fine record here at the Gold Coast she looks like a genuine chance at odds to upset this lot.
Selections: 7-11-8-4 rough chance 9
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Race 4
We have a wonderful distance race over 2200 metres. Not a race I can get excited about.
I have tipped Shotacross The Bow (7) in his last two starts where he has been run down late on both occasions. I am going to stick here again this weekend and hope he gets some luck! Just be warned he has never placed on the Gold Coast track in three starts!
Sir Barnabus (8) won here last weekend and is on a quick back up. That win was solid, and I think that the extra distance will not be an issue.
Matthew Dunn has Bronzed Venom (11) in the race. This runner finished third last start when beaten at Doomben a fortnight ago. He has won twice previously at the Gold Coast course.
Fighting Teo (12) is trained at Toowoomba by Kevin Kemp and comes off a nice second at Rosehill last start over 2000 metres. On that occasion he ran home well and looks like the extra distance will help him this weekend.
Selections: 7-11-12-8
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Race 5
The race has been decimated by early scratchings.
With the smaller field I think that Looks Like Elvis (8) will be able to come home late and wide as he normally does.
His win last start with Corey Bayliss in the saddle at Doomben was superb. He settled back and then come to the outside and in clear running ran away from the field for a convincing victory. He should be able to achieve the same result here this weekend with Jag Guthmann-Chester in the saddle.
Reach For Heaven (3) is another Kris Lees Racing runner who has been sent north to find a win. Last start he ran at Randwick and was in the worst part of the track and managed to still finish off the race okay. He is third up this start where he has won previously. Jeff Lloyd has been engaged to ride him and he would be hard to beat on his last effort.
Belflyer (1) has been unlucky since his great third in the 2018 Grafton Ramornie. He has a monster weight to carry this weekend, however, apprentice Clayton Gallagher has been booked to ride and try and grab his first Saturday Metro winner ever! Good luck Clayton and let’s see what you can do!
On The Spot (6) is trained on the track by Toby Edmonds. He does race well at his home track and jockey Jimmy Orman has a winning record aboard this runner – an each way chance.
Selections: 8-3-1-6
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Race 6
This is a tough and open race to start our Quaddie this weekend.
Gold Ambition (5) is trained here by Michael Costa and has won his past two starts. Scott Galloway stays aboard this weekend and he steps up from a mile to 1800 metres which will not be a problem. He is nice odds as well at around $8.
American Diva (8) loves to settle and come home out wide with a slashing finish – and that is exactly what she did last start at the Sunshine Coast. This track at the Gold Coast may not assist her in doing this, however, there appears to be a large amount of speed in this race and this could assist her late to flash home. Luke Rolls stays aboard this mare and he has won four times on her.
Rob Heathcote trains Lordag (1) and he has been racing in higher grade races than this in his past few starts. He goes up in weight – however, this has been offset by the engagement of apprentice Jag Guthmann-Chester. His claim brings this runner into contention.
Anzio (11) is trained by Paul Robbins and is the likely leader here. Laura Cheshire is riding this gelding again – she has won on him on two occasions and run second on him twice.
Selections: 5-8-1-11 rough chance 4
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Race 7
Sista Act (4) from the Liam Birchley yards loves to lead and should strip fitter now she is third up here this weekend at a track where she normally runs well. Drawn in barrier 2 she should be able to start well and then claim an early lead and get out in front. Can she hold on here at the Gold Coast in this large field?
Tony Gollan has two genuine chances here as well. Happy Hooves (6) was well backed last start when he won at Doomben. He meets a similar field here and should again be competitive.
Gollan’s other runner is Divine Messenger (12) who flashed home late last start over 1110 metres at Doomben. I think stepping up to the 1200 metres she should be suited by some solid speed in the race. This should be helpful to her chances in finishing off the race solidly.
Mishani Sleuth (1) has a great record at the Gold Coast with two wins here from three starts. Last start at Coffs Harbour he was forced to race wide and cover extra ground. I think now he is third up he will strip fitter and he should be thereabouts at the end of the race.
Selections: 4-6-12-1 rough chance 2
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Race 8
This is a very open race.
Sold For Song (4) resumes here for the Kevin Kemp stables. She is a class above this lot, however, I am just concerned where she may get in this large field. Jockey Jimmy Orman may be forced to ride her for luck or pull her wide and storm down the outside.
However, do not despair as there is some speed in the race and she should trail into the race very well. I have had some smoke signals from up on the hill at Toowoomba that she has been working well and is set for a good run first up.
Mishani El Lobo (13), trained by Les Kelly and to ridden by Michael McNab, has a great record at this track. At a silly price of $13 I think he is a genuine chance here to roll the more favoured runners and put some value into the Quaddie and Treble legs.
John Shelton has his second runner at the Gold Coast this weekend with Lucky Meteor (11). Clayton Gallagher takes the mount and 3 kilograms off the back of this gelding who is a prolific winner of races in the Northern Rivers of NSW but has had little luck at the Gold Coast. I still think that he has been carrying massive weights of 62 kilograms in his past few starts and has been very competitive.
He drops to 51 kilograms (if Clayton can ride that light) this weekend and is over a distance where he has thrived. He has drawn poorly in barrier 14 and will need some luck from the wide barrier. I think that he will push forward and race handy and may be hard to run down with this light weight. Last start he was very competitive in a feature race over the Coffs Harbour Carnival when beaten under one length when he ran fourth.
Selections: 13-11-4-1
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Race 9
Seriously this last race is a lottery! A class 2 race over 1400 metres – take the field in your exotic bets is what I think and if you really need to have a bet – DON’T!
I am just going to go through some runners from top to bottom that I think MAY have a chance!
Saxton Rock (2) from the Matthew Dunn yards looks well placed and is first up from a spell. He won a recent barrier trial at Ballina and he will be well ridden by Dunn’s stable apprentice Clayton Gallagher. With any luck he may be able to ride the last two winners on the program here!
Jake’s Hill (7) has been transferred to the Chris Waller stables on the Gold Coast from his Melbourne stables. This runner has raced in some higher-class races last preparation and probably should rate highly here. I think that the $2.70 om offer now is under the odds considering his best form is over longer distances.
Ruler (9) finally broke through at Ballina last start to win his maiden race. He always has had ability and Les Kelly has booked Ben Looker to ride this runner.
Floreana (11) is trained on the track and has always been consistent here at the track with five runs for two wins and two seconds. She normally will race handy in the first few and coming to the last race with many runners this could be vital.
Fox Force Five (12) is trained by Liam Birchley and has drawn barrier 24. Forget the last start failure at Ipswich is my comment. I think that as she has won here previously and if Ronnie Stewart can get her in somewhere from that horrendous barrier she may finish off the race.
Miss Severina (13) resumes from a spell and has had a solid barrier trial two weeks ago. She will race well at her home track and look out for a bold performance.
Tziporah (16) is Miss Severina (13) stable-mate from the Toby Edmonds Racing team. She won a Class 1 race here last start a fortnight ago and could back up and throw another win up this weekend.
Desert Rush (18) is trained by Kelly Doughty. Last start she motored home late at Ipswich in a race that really didn’t suit her style of racing. With the longer distance and back on her home track she looks well placed. Jeff Lloyd is in the saddle and may be able to navigate a fast path home in the last race on the card.
Selections: 18-2-7-9 rough chance 11,12, 13 and 16
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Jockey Challenge
Looks like a landslide to Jeff Lloyd – take the short odds and just line up to collect!
Early Quaddie (races 2 to 5 NSW only)
1,3,6 / 4,7,8,11 / 7,8,11,12 / 1,3,8 - cost is $144 to $1
Quaddie (races 6 to 9)
1,5,8,11 / 1,4,6,12 / 1,4,11,13 / 2,7,9,18 - cost is $256 to $1
Value Quaddie (races 6 to 9)
5,8 / 4,6 / 4,11,13 / 2,7,18 - cost is $36 to $1
Treble (races 7 to 9)
1,4,6,12/1,4,11,13/2,7,9,18 - cost is $64 to $1
Good luck and good punting!
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