Continuing a big day of upsets at Gold Coast Racecourse was the Gold Coast Guineas with another win for the bookies.
The favourites didn’t really fire all day at track but the win by Military Rose was one of the highlights of the day.
It was tough going towards the front after jumping from gate two and the pace was really put on early with the field stretched out across the course.
By the time they had made the turn for home though they had bunched right back up again with at least half the field having a shot in the final 400m.
Half way down the main straight Military Rose had leapt out by a length and was travelling the best but a new charge was sent down the outside of the course as well as another one or two from the middle of the main pack.
Skating On Ice had been trapped three wide most of the trip but still had enough in the tank to make the finish interesting with Celtic Dancer the other closing ground in the final furlong.
Despite making her run for home the earliest Military Rose continued to run on strong, winning by a touch under a length with Celtic Dancer winning the photo along the inside of a very game Skating On Ice.
Both placed horses paid more than $5 with Military Rose touching $20 with some bookmakers.
It was a good run for all three of them leading into the rest of the Brisbane Winter carnival with the Queensland Guineas now well and truly on the radar.
While Military Rose got the job done here the barrier was a big player with Skating On Ice’s effort from gate 13 especially impressive.
They’ll all be big players at Eagle Farm and Doomben in the next few weeks with the work of the jockeys and luck of the barriers perhaps all that splits them.