A bumper line-up of smart longer-distance gallopers face off in the Magic Millions Stayers Cup 2015 at the Gold Coast this weekend, betting tips on the handicap feature found below.
Our Boy Nicholas is the Races.com.au 2015 Magic Millions Stayers Cup tip to win on Saturday at the Gold Coast. Photo: Daniel Costello.
This year’s $200,000 Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa Magic Millions Stayers Cup (1800m) field will run at capacity with two early scratchings: #13 Unique and second emergency #16e Try Four.
The bookmakers are having a hard time separating the chances of the top three of four fancies in the Magic Millions Stayers Cup betting markets that are currently led by market mover Amovatio ($4) in from $4.20.
Drawn on the rails in barrier one for jockey Damien Oliver, the in-form Chris Waller-trained four-year-old comes off four top two runs including two victories.
One of those was over the Randwick mile in early November and the latest was last start at Canterbury on December 27 in the December Handicap (1550m) that he won by three quarters of a length.
The only negatives then are the step up from that to 1800m for the first time and the extra kilos with Amovatio going up from 54.5kg to 56.5kg on Saturday.
His biggest dangers looking at the Magic Millions Stayers Cup odds are then the widely-drawn Queensland Oaks winning mare Tinto ($5.50) who also carries the 59kg top weight, last start Class 6 Sunshine Coast winner Our Boy Nicholas ($5.50) and the Bjorn Baker-trained Off The Rails ($6).
So will the single figure fancies dominate the Magic Millions Stayers Cup results this year?
Or is there an upset possible from a better value runner such as Liam Birchley’s last start winner over the track and distance Goldslick ($17) or stablemate Royal Jester ($17) who is one of the final rides for the retiring Chris Munce.
1st
#5 Our Boy Nicholas ($5.50)
A talented Toby Edmonds-trained More Than Ready stallion, this four-year-old is on the improve with two good December runs leading up to this lucrative test. First-up off a two month break he was runner-up over 1350m at Doomben in a Class 6 run on a Soft (6) track before he won over the Sunshine Coast mile on Boxing Day. Did it easy that day winning by over two lengths carrying 55kg. Drops a kilo to the 54kg minimum here and top Sydney-based hoop James McDonald jumps aboard that is a big plus for the horse’s first look at the distance.
2nd
#3 Goldslick ($17)
Juicy price offered for this Brisbane-trained, Michael Cahill-mount. The six-year-old Bradbury’s Luck mare has had Cahill aboard for her past three starts including a fourth to Hopfgartenin the Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m) and her last start win over this track and distance on December 27. She beat an easier field that day with 54kg but ran well on a Soft (7) course and will get similar conditions here. Handles the wet, winner over the metres and stays on 54kg so could be the one to beat at good odds.
3rd
#1 Tinto ($5.50)
Group 1 winner, Rex Lipp’s now four-year-old daughter of Red Dazzler took out the Queensland Oaks in May over the 2400m and gets back up to a more suitable distance for the first time this time in. She’s been racing very well with all three runs finishing in the money over the past month or so including a Tatt’s Classic second, Just Now Handicap third and last start victory in the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1625m) at Toowoomba on New Year’s Eve. Has beaten better, 1800m four runs in will suit and even the big top weight might not see her beaten after she carried 58kg to victory in the Bernborough with Tim Bell, who stays on, in the saddle.
To back or sack our Magic Millions Stayers Cup 2015 betting tips visit Ladbrokes.com.au where you could win shares in a two-year-old racehorse prepared by Peter Moody by placing a minimum $5 bet on any Gold Coast race this Saturday!
