SURF’S in for provincial pair Rapt and Guzumped at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Connections of both horses have chosen to bypass Royal Randwick and run both in the $500,000 The Wave (1800m) at the twilight meeting which marks the opening of the annual Magic Millions carnival.
Last start Randwick winner Rapt was an acceptor for two races at Randwick along with The Wave, and has been withdrawn from both the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) and Benchmark 78 Handicap (1500m).
Recent Wyong winner Guzumped will miss the Benchmark 78 Handicap (2000m) at Randwick to contest the Gold Coast race.
Rapt’s Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer sent both her and stablemate Drums Of War (Magic Millions The Syndicate, 1100m) to the Gold Coast overnight.
Drums Of War, a lightly-raced American Pharoah four-year-old, resumed with a gutsy third under 60kg after making the pace in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m) at Hawkesbury on December 15.
Whilst Tim Clark, who rode Rapt to victory in a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) at
Randwick on December 21, sticks with her, Ash Morgan will partner Drums Of War, who also races in the Dynamic Syndications colours.
Morgan flew to the Gold Coast last night after clinching his maiden stakes victory on Iowna Merc in the $200,000 Listed Canterbury Sprint (1200m), and continues his association with unbeaten Newcastle colt Private Harry in the $3m Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m) at the Coast meeting.
“Whilst Rapt was an acceptor for two races at Randwick, she deserves the opportunity to contest The Wave,” Deamer said this morning.
“It’s worth a lot of money and restricted to Magic Millions graduates. Tackling a weight-for-age race won’t be easy, but she has trained on well since her last win at Randwick.”
Deamer also plans to run his stable flag-bearer Hard To Say in the $1m Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday week, and won’t head north until midweek.
Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup flew to the Gold Coast this morning to inspect Magic Millions yearlings prior to saddling Guzumped for The Wave.
“Guzumped will be floated to the Gold Coast tonight,” Widdup said.
“Even though he is a five-year-old, he is still maturing,” Widdup said.
“This trip away will be great experience for him. Twelve months down the track a race such as the Magic Millions Subzero (2200m) should be really suitable.”
Guzumped was a $200,000 purchase at the 2021 Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast, whereas Rapt fetched $120,000 the following year.
Story by John Curtis, 2 January, 2025
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