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Aquis Raceday at Gold Coast Horse Racing Tips, Best Bets and Race Previews – 8/1/2022

The 2022 Magic Millions Carnival officially kicks on Saturday, and there are plenty of quality types engaged on the nine-race program on the Gold Coast.

The $250,000 The Wave headlines the action, and our best bets for the entire meeting can be found in our preview below!

Preview brought to you by Neds. Learn more about Neds HERE.

RACE 1: AQUIS QTIS 3YO HANDICAP (1200M), 12:08PM

Tip: No. 3 Frosty Mango

Interesting race between the three-year-olds to start the day.

Manhood has opened the favourite, and rightfully so following a brilliant 2.5L win on debut over 1100m here on Boxing Day.

The Michael Costa-trained colt lapped up the soft track that day, and we can expect similar conditions on Saturday with rain in the forecast.

Frosty Mango looks the main danger for mine.

While she’s drawn wide, that might not worry her after she smoked the line out wide first-up at Doomben where she ran a nose second.

The Hinchinbrook filly loves some sting out of the ground, and jockey Jim Byrne has been responsible for a win and two placings on her previously.

 

RACE 2: MAGIC MILLIONS COUNTRY CUP (1200M), 12:43PM

Tip: 2 Sir Rocket

Sir Rocket has gone to another level since joining the Michael Costa stable and he should take beating here on his best form.

The Smart Missile gelding carried 61.5kg’s to a win here two back over the same journey, and then managed to make up big ground after racing wide without cover in his latest assignment when second-up on the Sunshine Coast.

He’s two-from-two at this venue and proven on rain-affected going, making him hard to knock.

 

RACE 3: AQUIS GOLD NUGGET 2YO COLTS AND GELDINGS (1100M), 1:18PM

Tip: No. 8 Hell I Am

I was a big fan of Hell I Am heading into the Wyong 2YO Magic Millions, and I’m certainly not about to hop off despite the result.

The colt by Hellbent had to cover a lot of ground from a wide position before he struggled for room down the straight, but based on what we saw from him at the trials, he’s definitely got the talent to bounce back.

Barrier 6 does leave Nash Rawiller with somewhat of a job to do, but if he finds daylight, he should be finishing strongly.

 

RACE 4: AQUIS GOLD PEARL 2YO FILLIES (1100M), 1:53PM

Tip: No. 3 Uncorked

There’s a case to be made for a few here, but I’m happy to take a flyer on the Waterhouse and Bott-trained Uncorked.

The daughter of Pierro has shown plenty of ability in two starts so far, finishing runner-up at Randwick three weeks after achieving a similar result on debut at Newcastle behind Russian Conquest.

That horse has since gone on to win again on Boxing Day, and the only real knock on her has been her inability to finish off races.

With a little more fitness and experience though, I think this is her chance from an ideal draw.

 

RACE 5: MM RISING STARS 3YO & 4YO FILLIES & MARES (1300M), 2:32PM

Tip: No. 3 Boomnova

Boomnova has missed the frame only once from nine starts, and she again showed her class on Boxing Day at Doomben when leading for most of the way before being nailed late by Mass Destruction.

That was only her second run back, so there’s definite improvement to come, while I also like the look of her soft track form heading into this contest.

Barrier 5 likely sees her push forward again, and she’ll be tough reel in with some fitness now on her side.

 

RACE 6: MM RISING STARS 3YO & 4YO COLTS, GELDINGS & ENTIRES  (1300M), 3:12PM

Tip: No. 1 The Ritz

We’re getting double figures for The Ritz, which appears good value if you can overlook his first-up disappointment in the Listed Falvelon Quality at Doomben.

The son of Mossman failed to offset the wide gate and never made up ground from the rear that day, but he does warrant plenty of respect here dropping back in class.

The Michael Costa-trained four-year-old was a back-to-back winner before being sent to the paddock during the spring, and he also holds an unblemished 2-0 record to his name at the Gold Coast.

As long as it isn’t too wet, he’s a definite each-way chance.

 

RACE 7: THE WAVE (1800M), 3:52PM

Tip: No. 3 Love Tap

Love Tap has been up for a while, but his recent form suggests another win might be right around the corner.

The Freedman-trained gelding was seen doing his best work late three weeks ago at Randwick over the mile where not much went right.

He got away awkwardly, found some traffic down the straight, and was even hit over the head by another jockey over the final 100m.

As a previous winner over 1800m, he gets a big tick over this distance, and he’s got a win on soft and heavy going to his name.

 

RACE 8: WE ARE GOLD COAST OPEN (900M), 4:32PM

Tip: No. 2 Usmanov

Usmanov ticks most of the boxes in the penultimate race on the program.

The son of Choisir was caught a little flat-footed first-up in the Listed Bribie Handicap over further at Eagle Farm, so he should find this much easier dropping back in grade, and to a distance he’s won over four times previously.

The six-year-old won by over a length over this track and distance last May, extending his record at the Gold Coast to four wins from seven visits. His wet track form checks out also.

 

RACE 9: AQUIS PIERATA BENCHMARK 85 HANDICAP (1400M), 5:12PM

Tip: No. 5 Don’t Stop

Bit of a dart throw in the last, so I’m with Paul Nolan Jr’s gelding Don’t Stop.

The five-year-old has put together a very consistent prep winning four of his six starts since returning to the races way back in July.

He was a winner two back at Doomben in this same grade before finding the 1200m a little too short on New Year’s Day.

The wide draw is the only query, but he did win his maiden on an eight-day backup two years ago.

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