UNBEATEN Newcastle young gun Private Harry has taken over favoritism for his $3m mission at the Gold Coast early next month.
Such is the boom on the exciting colt that he has deposed Golden Slipper Stakes winner Lady Of Camelot at the head of the betting for the Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m), a new slot race for three-year-olds on January 4.
Private Harry has firmed to $3 with TAB.com.au in the pre-nominations market, ahead of Lady Of Camelot at $3.50.
Last Friday night’s Canterbury winner Zealously, who clinched a hat-trick, is third favorite at $5.
Twelve horses will run in the Sunlight, with each slot costing $175,000.
Private Harry will race in the slot owned by Southern Highlands-based B2B Thoroughbreds, which also purchased a 2.5 per cent share in the Harry Angel colt for $25,250 through Inglis Digital in early November.
Newcastle racegoers at Thursday’s meeting will get their last chance to see the young sprinter in an exhibition gallop before he heads north.
“Private Harry will work between races with a stablemate, probably Dalaalaat, who has been placed at two of his last three starts,” trainer Nathan Doyle’s racing manager David Dyson said.
“Nathan is keeping everything as normal as possible with the colt, who will work again at Broadmeadow the following Tuesday.”
Meanwhile, Private Harry’s jockey Ash Morgan rode his 35th winner of the season at a rain-soaked Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Morgan got a call-up on Wednesday from the Ciaron Maher stable to head north, and won the Class 3 Plate (1400m) on UK import, $2.60 favorite Zoology, who posted his first Australian victory.
Thirteen times Group 1 winning jockey Josh Parr tried out the new Gosford track last week when he rode work.
“I was very pleased with the re-camber of the home turn and restructure of the home straight,” Parr, who won the Royal Randwick closer on Disneck on Saturday, said.
“But the track is not ready to resume racing on yet.”
Gosford Race Club is hoping to race again on Saturday February 22. The last meeting was held on May 16 this year – five days after The Entertainment Grounds’ feature The Coast Saturday stand-alone fixture unfortunately had to be transferred to Newcastle because of heavy rain.
Gosford’s $300,000 Group 3 Belle of the Turf Stakes (1600m) and $200,000 Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m) will be run at Wyong on December 31.
Story John Curtis, December 15, 2024
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