Magic Millions 3YO Guineas 2024 Best Bets and Tips

A massive day of racing awaits us at the newly refurbished Gold Coast Turf Club as they host one of the most renowned race days in Australian racing.

Boasting a $14.25m prize pool, this 11 race card is headlined by the 2&3YO Magic Millions events.

John Steinmetz breaks down the 3YO Guineas and has found some favourable plays. 

 

 

Track Conditions

This Gold Coast track has been lashed with over 350mm of rain over the past fortnight.

Former track manager of the ATC, Nevesh Ramdhani is confident the track will be good come Saturday.

As of 7 am on Friday, the track is rated a Soft 5 with no rainfall in the past 24 hours, so good signs as the week goes on.

 

Navesh Ramdhani gives a @GCTurfClub track update ahead of the Magic Millions! ?? pic.twitter.com/lyTidgAJye

— TAB (@tabcomau) January 11, 2024

 

The Speed Map

In a full lineup of 18 runners, early speed will be crucial to land in a good position. 

The last thing favoured horses will want is to be sitting last around the tight-turning Gold Coast track.

Royal Tribute (4) and Vanquished (5) will aim to use their wider draws to push over and claim the rail, as there is little speed drawn inside.

Race favourites Chrysaor (2) and Cifrado (1) will settle just off midfield and be saving themselves for one final dash.

QLD trained hopes Weigall Tiger (7) and Abounding (13) will settle just off the pace and will try to get a lane coming into the final straight. 

 

The Favourite

It is a tight battle between Chrysaor ($5), Cifrado ($6), Sydney Bowler ($6) and Abounding ($7). 

Chrysaor, a purchase by Star Thoroughbreds for $115,000 in the 2022 Magic Millions has proven to be an impressive 3yo after an average 2yo season.

As it won the Group 2 Callander-Presnell in the spring, it's easy to like his chances.

In such a wide-open race like this however, I can't step in at the short quote. 

He has been struggling in the soft, with two starts for one placing, and he will need plenty of luck to find a passage in the straight.

To give a comparison of fields, the Group 1 J.J Atkins in 2023 was an 18-horse field and Chrysaor was not a fan of the traffic.

A 7th in this race should have been a 12th, as he only beat the tired front runners home.

He has developed a lot since his 2yo season, but I don't think he is the one.

 

Free Horse Racing Tips 

Sydney Bowler ($6) is my top pick to take this out. 

An undefeated gelding in Sydney, he comes up to contest this as his first listed race. 

With star hoop Jason Collett aboard, he will settle just behind the pace and leap forward once they hit the straight. 

The barrier was a worry when I watched on Tuesday morning, however all emergencies have drawn inside him, so he should move from barrier 17 to 13. 

 

 

Infatuation ($11) is a good each-way prospect heading into this one. 

With two placings this prep, she is ready to win. 

Finishing a neck back from Royal Tribute last start at Gosford, I think she has been unlucky not to win. 

The worry is the form on a soft track, with no wins from three starts. 

 

Trifling ($18) is a great pick on its home turf. 

After comfortably beating the in-form Weigall Tiger, this drop back to 1400m is not a worry. 

Already a market mover, coming from $26 into $18, we could be looking at single-figure odds at the jump. 

Michael Rodd and this Filly have been running together for the majority of this prep, for two placings and a win.

This is in-reach and looks massive overs.

 

Veecee ($16) rounds them out for me. 

Out of the Ciaron Maher yard, the only point of worry would be the change in direction, coming from Melbourne.

After a disappointing 2yo season, the Ciaron Maher team has come back ready to win, with obvious improvements in every start. 

Watch the market for this one, as Ciaron Maher horses often show a lot through their odds.

With the upgrade to Group 1 winning jockey Michael Dee, this will be an exciting finish. 

 

1st Sydney Bowler

2nd Infatuation 

3rd Trifling 

4th Veecee

 

There are loads of tips for today's racing in our Horse Racing Tips market at theGreatTipOff.com.