RACING WRAP
LADBROKES’ MARK MAZZAGLIA ANALYSES THE AQUIS PARK MEETING, TELLS YOU WHERE THE MONEY WAS WON AND LOST, AND FINDS YOU A HORSE TO FOLLOW.
THE WINNERS
Youngblood (Race 1)
Youngblood was backed as if he was unbeatable and the punters were right. Jockey Jim Byrne took the Tony Gollan-trained horse straight to the front and the $1.30 favourite was never headed and went on to record a dominant 4¼-length win. Byrne and Gollan combined later in the day to complete a winning double with Tullio in Race 4.
Merlin’s Magic (Race 6)
Merlin’s Magic never went around a horse after jumping from the inside gate and the punters who backed the $3.70 favourite started cheering as heads were turned for home. Jockey Andrew Mallyon let Merlin’s Magic drift to the centre of the track and the Les Kellytrained Camelot mare relished the heavy conditions and went on to demolish her opposition with a six-length winning margin.
Sea Raider (Race 7)
Sea Raider was sent out as the $1.75 favourite and gave his backers not one second of concern with an unchallenged all of the way win. Jockey Glen Colless had Sea Raider in winning mode from the jump and the hotpot went on to record back-toback Aquis Park wins for Gold Coast trainer John Gilmore.
BY its own lofty standards, Godolphin has had a low-key Brisbane winter carnival but the global stable today has a realistic change to improve its fortunes at Eagle Farm.
Godolphin has dominated Brisbane winters in recent years but Aquitaine’s win in the Mick Dittman Plate last week has been its only 2020 success.
The blue army will be represented by Best Of Days and Gaulois in the Group 3 Eagle Farm Mile (1600m) this afternoon.
Godolphin’s Australian head trainer James Cummings has plotted what he feels is a winning course for the two hardened stakes performers.
Best Of Days has run in 11 Group 1 races with his best result a win in the 2018 Kennedy Mile in Melbourne.
“We are switching him back to a mile and putting the blinkers back on,” Cummings said.
“He’s trialled well since his solid performance at Randwick four weeks ago (third in the Gosford Cup).
“He’s weighted a little better against these horses under these conditions.
“We think that the shortened journey with the blinkers gives him every chance of returning to winning ways.”
Gaulois has had 16 stakesrace starts for two wins in Listed company but he has finished close up in higher grade.
Cummings thinks Gaulois is weighted to win at 1600m after a last-start second at the distance in the Wayne Wilson Memorial at the Sunshine Coast on May 15.
“We’ve kept him fit and he’s certainly capable of presenting himself as a winning chance,” Cummings said.