Australia: Rescheduled Magic Millions program on tap at Gold Coast

Two races into the 10-race Magic Millions program at Gold Coast Racecourse last weekend, the jockeys and stewards decided to postpone the program on the West Coast of Australia because of excessive rain.

The races have been rescheduled at Gold Coast on Wednesday evening, with two seven-figure races headlining an eight-race program that begins at 10:20 p.m. Eastern or 7:20 p.m. Pacific.

Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The leading runners entered last weekend are back in the rescheduled races.

The filly Russian Conquest remains one of the favorites in the $1.39 million Magic Millions Guineas at about seven furlongs for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds.

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This is the second consecutive year Russian Conquest has appeared in a seven-figure race on the Magic Millions program at Gold Coast in January. In 2022, Russian Conquest was second by a neck in the $1.44 million Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic.

Russian Conquest for months has been pointed to this year’s race for sales progeny. Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, Russian Conquest was seventh in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne in October, but was a second by a little more than a neck in the minor Gosford Guineas at six furlongs on Dec. 28, closing from seventh through the stretch.

The Magic Millions Guineas has drawn a full field of 15, with five entrants on an also-eligible list.

Russian Conquest will be ridden for the first time by James McDonald, the runaway leader among Australian jockeys in prize money standings this year with approximately $14.8 million since the season began on Aug. 1. McDonald is the only rider with an eight-digit total through Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, Russian Conquest was the 3-1 co-favorite in early betting with Yellow Brick, a winner of 5 of 6 starts. Yellow Brick won the inaugural running of the $523,000 King of the Mountain Stakes at six furlongs for horses bred in the state of Queensland at Toowoomba on Dec. 31.

Yellow Brick raced from the front throughout and is likely to set the pace in the Magic Millions Guineas.

The leading runners for the $1.39 million Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic remain Sovereign Fund and Empire of Japan, both trained by the Snowdens.

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Sovereign Fund is unbeaten in two starts since mid-December.

Empire of Japan won the Group 3 Breeders Plate at five furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in October, but was third in his only subsequent start in an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Randwick on Dec. 24, closing from sixth to miss by slightly more than a half-length.

The Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic drew a field of 16, with two horses on the also-eligible list. The undefeated filly Skirt the Law, who has won twice, will be a threat from the front.

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