Australia: Coolangatta puts unbeaten record on line in Magic Millions 2-year-old Classic

The undefeated Australian 2-year-old filly Coolangatta will be a strong favorite as she seeks her third win in Saturday’s $1.45 million Magic Millions 2-year-old Classic at Gold Coast Racecourse.

Coolangatta won Group 3 races in her first two starts – the Gimcrack Stakes at five furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Oct. 2, and the B.J. McLachlan Stakes at six furlongs at Doomben on Dec. 26, drawing away with ease on both occasions.

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Coolangatta will be ridden by James McDonald, who was aboard for her previous wins. The undefeated Russian Conquest, who has won both her races from off the pace, and Miss Hellfire, the winner of an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Gold Coast on Jan. 8, are two other well-regarded runners in a field of 16 in the six-furlong race.

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While much of the focus of the Gold Coast program will be on Coolangatta, she is not part of the day’s best seven-figure betting race.

The $1.45 million Magic Millions 3-year-old Guineas is run at seven furlongs and will have a field of 18.

Easy cases can be made for runners such as Jamaea, I Am Lethal and King of Sparta, who led early betting at odds ranging from 9-2 to 6-1 on Thursday.

Jamaea is a two-time Group 2 winner since April. I Am Lethal has won his last two starts in handicaps and takes a jump in class. King of Sparta was third by slightly less than a length in the Gosforth Guineas at six furlongs on Dec. 29 in his first start since early October.

King of Sparta has finished well in six-furlong races, indicating he may be effective at this slightly longer trip.

All nine races at Gold Coast are sale progeny races, including seven races worth $728,000 or more. First post time is 9:15 p.m. Eastern or 6:15 p.m. Pacific on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.