Ballot-free entry into next year’s Stradbroke Handicap goes on the line in The Gateway at Eagle Farm on Saturday, and it is just one of nine quality contests on the program.
The track is rated in the Good (4) range at publish, but with plenty of rain expected in the Brisbane metropolitan areas ahead of the weekend, expect some downgrades.
I’ve run the rule over the card, and you can find my complete 2021 The Gateway Day Tips below.
Preview brought to you by Neds. Learn more about Neds HERE.
BRC Salutes James Brindley BM80 Handicap (1600m) – 1:38pm AEDT
Tip: No. 6 So Taken
The consistent So Taken will step out in the first on The Gateway Day, and I am going to give her one last chance to salute.
So Taken returns a competitive effort almost every time that she arrives at the races, and she has placed in each of her last three starts, but a win has evaded her for some time.
She’s rock-hard fit, looks to have ideal conditions, and she can fight out the finish again.
168 QTIS Yearlings @ Magic Millions 3YO Handicap (1400m) – 2:13pm AEDT
Tip: No. 3 Vetta Velocita
Last-start winner Vetta Velocita looks well placed to make it two in a row at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Stuart Kendrick-trained gelding his mixed his form a little, but his best performances have been truly eye-catching, and are highlighted by his last-start win on the Sunshine Coast.
He’s rock-hard fit, drawn ideally and I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish again.
Listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1000m) – 2:52pm AEDT
Tip: No. 4 Inequality
The latest crop of two-year-olds will go around in the Phelan Ready Stakes and I’m going to have something on the Sydney raider, Inequality.
Inequality has made just one appearance at the races so far, but I thought that there was a lot to like about his debut effort at Newcastle, in which he finished just half a length behind the winner.
I’m expecting plenty of improvement for that experience and the $6 we’re getting at publish looks a lovely price.
Listed Calaway Gal Stakes (1000m) – 3:32pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 Exo Lady
The same race but for the fillies and it is a wide-open affair. At publish, we’re looking at $5 the field.
Exo Lady occupies the top line of betting, she puts an unbeaten record on the line, and I am happy to stick with her.
The Exosphere filly put the writing on the wall with an easy win on debut here in October, and she franked that effort at Doomben last time.
Fitter third-up and under Jockey Jim, this looks the ideal opportunity for her to get some black type.
The Gateway (1400m) – 4:12pm AEDT
Tip: No Bet
One of the nine confirmed starters in The Gateway field will gain ballot-free entry into next year’s Stradbroke Handicap, and it looks very like to be Apache Chase.
He is a very good horse and he probably will just win, but he’s too short for me at $1.30, and I am happy to watch.
Listed Just Now Quality (1300m) – 4:52pm AEDT
Tip: No. 1 Kisukano
Kisukano is on the short back-up into the Just Now Quality and in my opinion, she’s big overs at her $15 quote.
She was the only horse to defeat Rothfire during their two-year-old season, and Kisukano has picked off some nice races of her own along the way.
She’s filled the minors at her first two back this time, including a Listed race at Doomben last week, and we can have a genuine each-way crack at odds this week.
Listed Bribie Handicap (1000m) – 5:32pm AEDT
Tip: No. 3 Shooting For Gold
Shooting For Gold was scratched for a feature race last week to instead run here, and the Bribie Handicap really does look the perfect race for him.
The Shooting To Win gelding has been nothing short of outstanding since debuting, winning seven of his twelve career starts and placing on a further three occasions.
He filled the minors over 1000m on the Gold Coast when resuming, I like that he has been back to the trials since, and he is my best bet on the program.
BRC Membership Plus Class 6 Plate (1200m) – 6:13pm AEDT
Tip: No. 7 Garibaldi
I’m going to stick with Garibaldi second-up in the penultimate race on The Gateway Day.
Garibaldi was competitive in some quality races through the winter, but he clearly needed his first back this time with sixth, beaten four lengths by Zoustyle on the Sunshine Coast.
He is a previous winner at this point of his preparation and I think he’ll prove tough to beat.
Summer Provincial Series Final (1300m) – 6:52pm AEDT
Tip: No. 5 All To Do
This certainly isn’t the easiest way to end The Gateway Day from a betting perspective and at publish, we’re faced with $7 the field.
That being said, I think that All To Do has genuine claims on winning, and we can have an each-way play at around the $8 mark.
All To Do stripped fitter with a credible resuming effort at the Sunshine Coast, before proving far too good at Ipswich last time.
This is harder, but he can continue his rise through the grades.
