Australian Racing: Icarian chasing Dream performance

There’s plenty of action for punters to get stuck into on Saturday, including at Gold Coast where over $13,000,000 is on offer across their 10-race card.

Race 8 Gold Coast

Snitzanova @ 6.50

Race 7 Gold Coast

Icarian Dream @ 7.00

Race 8 Flemington

Wonder Boy @ 7.50

Snitzanova for Guineas glory

The Gold Coast Magic Millions 3yo Guineas is one of two $3,000,000 contests set to take place at the Queensland venue.

A soft 5 track is expected for the 1400m contest which is scheduled to be held as the eighth race on the card.

Many of the field are expected to jump at triple-figure odds, with Peter Snowden’s Tuileries set to feature prominently in the betting.

This filly demonstrated plenty of ability, despite finishing only sixth in her sole start at two and she has shown improvement this time around winning both starts last month.

The first of those saw her salute by three lengths in a 1250m maiden, while she duly followed up in a six runner Benchmark 72 handicap over 1300m at Randwick.

Both of those victories came on a sound surface however and she has to prove that she handles the expected soft 5 going.

Ciaron Maher’s SNITZANOVA is a proven wet track performer, who has won each of her three starts since debuting with a fifth having jumped at $41 for a Rosehill maiden in October.

This daughter of Snitzel’s two most recent victories have come in Group company, with the first of those a narrow victory in the 1600m Group 3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle in November.

The filly has been freshened since winning by just under half-a-length in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas over the same distance at Caulfield at the end of that month.

Snitzanova raced on a heavy 8 track when partnered by her jockey here Daniel Stackhouse and jumping from barrier nine she can provide her trainer with his first winner in this race.

Icarian Dream for Classic success

The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2yo Classic over 1200m is the first of the $3,000,000 races and comes up as the seventh race on the Gold Coast card.

Peter Snowden took this race with subsequent Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist back in 2016 and his Memo is one of two runners for him this time around.

While the filly has yet to win in three career starts, she has placed on each occasion, including in the Wyong Magic Millions 2yo Classic over 1100m at Wyong a month ago.

The youngster went on to place third in an 1100m handicap event at Randwick two weeks ago and she rates highly stepping up in distance.

Ciaron Maher took this race with fillies in both 2020 and 2022 and his ICARIAN DREAM is the selection to register her third win in five starts.

The pick debuted with a narrow victory in a 1000m maiden held on a soft 6 track at Warwick Farm in October.

While she could finish only fourth in the 1100m Group 3 Inglis Golden Gift at Rosehill next time, she performed with credit on that occasion.

A second in a handicap over 1100m at Rosehill prior to a career best effort in seeing off 13 rivals to take out the 1200m Group 3 Magic Millions B. J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm.

The daughter of Blue Point finished strongly on that occasion and she looks capable of registering a win in this valuable contest.

Wonder Boy to salute in Standish

The Standish Handicap, a Group 1200m contest is the feature race of the day at Flemington.

A good 4 track is expected with WONDER BOY taken to get the better of his older rivals on his return from a spell.

This gelding debuted with a win over this course and distance in June, prior to registering two good placed efforts in Group 3 company.

The second of those saw him lose out by just under one-and-a-half-lengths over this track and trip on a good 4 surface.

The winner that day Growing Empire has placed three times at the top level against older rivals this season, with Wonder Boy going on to finish fifth over 1400m here subsequently.

A drop back in distance is a positive and Jerome Hunter’s representative looks up to registering his first success at this level.