LIVE COVERAGE: Aquis Park Gold Coast 4 January 2020

Magic Millions excitement starts to kick in this Saturday at Aquis Park Gold Coast for the $1.5 million TAB Wave - Aquis Raceday. It's an intriguing day of racing with the inaugural running of the TAB Wave.

The past three winners of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic have raced on this day. Could we see the 2020 winner in the Aquis Gold Nugget or Aquis Gold Pearl?

Follow our live blog for all the comments from jockeys and trainers, photos and race replays from all nine races on the card. 

Race 1 - 12:58PM AQUIS QTIS Three-Years-Old Handicap (1200 METRES)

1st - Raging Pole - Tony & Maddysen Sears - Jimmy Orman

2nd - Say Haya - Tony Gollan - Jake Bayliss

3rd - Mishani Romance - Les Ross - Jackson Murphy

Trainer - Maddysen Sears

"We've seen him win like that in the past and he hadn't quite got back there but fourth run back in off a hot speed he was back to his best."

"When he was cruising behind the pace at the top of the straight I thought he would swallow them up and that's what he did."

Jockey - Jimmy Orman

"He'd been slowly coming back to his best with each run, I wasn't on last start but I think everything that went wrong did and I was confident he could bounce back today."

"The tear away leaders really set it up for us, his sprint is his best asset and once I was able to extract him I always thought we'd get there in time."

Race 2 - 1:33PM AQUIS PIERATA Class 6 Plate (1200 METRES)

1st - Ice Frost - Doug Duryea - Andrew Spinks

2nd - Epic Girl - Chris Anderson - Steph Thornton

3rd - Cadogan - Edmonds Racing - Ryan Maloney

Trainer - Doug Duryea

"She's had three runs and two years and her first up second was very promising heading into today."

"I almost lost Spinksy for the ride he had a migraine at Gatton yesterday and had to be cleared by the doctors this morning to take the ride."

"Much happier with him on he knows her well and like to stick with my riders."

"I thought they'd go a lot quicker which would have played into our hands she's best ridden off speed, but she still came into in nicely and did enough."

Jockey - Andrew Spinks

"It was 38 degrees yesterday and normally I'm pretty ok with the heat but it got the better of me."

"I was desperate to get cleared to ride today and had to go to four doctors and a hospital to finally get the nod, a huge thanks to my manager and partner for making all the phone calls."

"I rode her first up in town and told Doug you'll win a good race with this mare I'm just thankful to retain the ride and get her home today."

Race 3 - 2:08PM AQUIS GOLD PEARL 2YO Fillies (1100 METRES)

1^st – Queen Kay – Edmonds Racing – Ryan Maloney

2^nd – Smart ‘N’ Sexy – Edmonds Racing – Matthew McGillivray

3^rd – Bribery – Tony & Calvin McEvoy – Hugh Bowman

Trainer – Toby Edmonds

“She’s very green and raw as you’ve seen but potential through the roof.”

“It’s a shame she’s cost the other filly a spot in the Millions but both good fillies with big futures.”

“Very disappointing with Smart and Sexy we had blinkers up our sleeve for next week we probably just needed them one week earlier.”

“Ryan (Maloney) has ridden her in all three trials leading into this and didn’t panic when they landed towards the back and despite a chequered passage was able to win.”

Winning Jockey – Ryan Maloney

“I’ve been on her for all her jump outs and she was improving each time and presented really fit today.”

“Very different riding under race conditions I just let her land where she was comfortable and we were moving into it nicely before we got held up on the turn big effort to pick up again and come up the inside.”

Second Jockey – Matthew McGillivray

“I’ve ridden her three times out of the barriers and she’s got a bad habit of missing it, I’m not exactly sure why but I think blinkers might help.”

“All in all a big run from mine but also the winner who we followed the whole way and when the winner got held up we shot clear but wandered around too much when we got there.”

Race 4 - 2:48PM AQUIS GOLD NUGGET 2YO Colts & Geldings (1100 METRES)

1^st – Wisdom of Water – Edmonds Racing – Robbie Fradd

2^nd – Conceited – James Cummings – Damian Lane

3^rd – The Drinks Cart – Edmonds Racing – Ryan Maloney

Trainer – Toby Edmonds

“It’s a great effort from the colt he’s been on a really thin timeline to get here, he only got three weeks in the paddock before we brought him back here.”

“He’s doing it all on ability he’s very naughty he’s a colt and knows it he’s just strong enough to overcome those habits.”

“He’s very green and will take a stack of improvement out of that run, if he can draw well he can run a big race next week.”

“With early two-year-old’s you’re not sure what’s going to suit them better, we raced him on speed and he came undone and was able to relax well enough today to take a sit.”

Jockey – Robbie Fradd

“He’s a bit crazy but boy he can run, I was trying to hold him for the sprint and as soon as I let go he went bang and we were up there far too early.”

“He’s definitely better ridden quiet he wanted to pull a bit but I got him to settle but he’ll learn.”

Race 5 - 3:28PM MAGIC MILLIONS COUNTRY CUP (SPECIAL CONDITIONS) (1200 METRES)

1^st – Clockwise – Tony Webb – Nathan Evans

2^nd – Secret Spirit – David Vandyke – Jake Bayliss

3^rd – Excelebrazione – P&W Hulbert – Adin Thompson

Trainer – Tony Webb

“Like a lot of females she needs focusing and the blinkers did their job today.”

“She’s very consistent she’s doesn’t put in a bad run and third up today she was ready to win.”

“You can ride her however you like, she got a long way back her first two starts of this preparation missing the start, but jumped well today and was able to hold her forward position.”

“Nathan is there every morning to ride track work and if you don’t put them on you’re a bit of a tool.”

Jockey – Nathan Evans

“I ride her at work every day and had a couple of rides on her last prep she’s gets along with me and vice versa, very thankful for the ride.”

“She can be a bit cantankerous in the barriers but she was on her best behaviour today and put herself in the spot from the one alley.”

“This is the biggest win in my riding career by a country mile.”

Race 6 - 4:08PM WE ARE GOLD COAST OPEN Handicap (900 METRES)

1^st – Guard of Honour – Kelly Schweida – Brenton Avdulla

2^nd – Spurcraft – Charlotte White – Les Tilley

3^rd – Whypeeo – Edmonds Racing – Ryan Maloney

Trainer – Kelly Schweida

“We didn’t reinvent the wheel with him we just looked for patterns in his career and he likes this track and distance winning the Bat Out of Hell two years ago, we gave him one trial and he was good to go.”

“You know there’s going to be speed on and Brenton knows him well settled him down and he was in the right frame of mind to win today.”

“A change of stables can be the trick for a lot of tested horses, he’s obviously liked something we’ve done with him so hopefully the success continues

Jockey – Brenton Avdulla

“I was quite happy to sit off the speed the leaders are punching a headwind today and the pace was on over the 900.”

“We got there a bit early and he had a think about it for a second but responded when I gave him another shake.”

Race 7 - 4:50PM THE TAB WAVE (1800 METRES)

1^st – A Man to Match – Tony Gollan – Baylee Nothdurft

2^nd – Trevelyan – John & Chris Meagher – Ron Stewart

3^rd – Fun Fact – Bjorn Baker – Damian Lane

Trainer – Tony Gollan

“This definitely doesn’t top my wife giving birth to our little boy Boyd yesterday but it’s a very nice second, I went and saw the family this morning and I think he’s given me a bit of luck today.”

“Baylee gave it an eleven out of ten you would have wanted to be on him the entire run and picked up beautifully round the corner to get there in time.”

“We bought this horse many years ago at the sales and with the bonus score $345,000 today which is an amazing result for connections.”

“I wanted Baylee to find a spot one off mid field and he’s managed to get to the rail, you’ve got to remember he’s a claiming kid we had the option of going with a senior jockey but we stuck with him and he deserves it.”

“He got a good freshen up off Eagle Farm three weeks ago and this was the last year he could run in this race it’s all come together.”

Jockey – Baylee Nothdurft

“Everything worked out brilliantly we got a lovely run he was travelling so strong we just had to get out.”

“We found the back of Attainer and it was taking me into the race at the right time and when he got the split he went bang.”

Race 8 - 5:25PM MAGIC MILLIONS RISING STARS 3YO & 4YO Colts, Geldings & Entires Class 4 Plate (1300 METRES)

1^st – Phobeter – Michael Costa – Brad Stewart

2^nd – Scout – Edmonds Racing – Ryan Maloney

3^rd – Morrissy – Leon & Troy Corstens – Mark Zahra

Trainer – Michael Costa

“As a two-year-old he showed a bit of promise but had a setback with a joint issue which we’ve had to manage, but he’s been a wonderful purchase in the scheme of things $60,000 and has well and truly passed that mark.”

“We probably wanted to go into this race third up we needed a lot of improvement and got it.”

“First up run took a bit out of him but his gallop Tuesday was spot on and I was about as confient as I could be from barrier eighteen.”

“I left it up to Brad from out there and he made the decisive move to go forward and he gave a big kick off the turn and win a $250,000 race in class three class four company.”

“He’s very lightly raced there could be a nice option to back him up again next weekend.’

“It’s pretty special when you get to share it with the people you love, I think the locals enjoyed the victory too.”

Jockey – Brad Stewart

“Michael left it up to me how to ride him, he bounced well and we got up to fourth three wide early and I had to push forward from there.”

“He had a really strong cruising speed throughout which got them off the bit coming to the turn, I had a little peek and we were well clear.”

Race 9 - 6:05PM MAGIC MILLIONS RISING STARS 3YO & 4YO Fillies & Mares Class 4 Plate (1300 METRES)

1^st – Yamazaki – David Pfeiffer – Glen Boss

2^nd – Call Me Royal – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott – Brenton Avdulla

3^rd – Katy’s Daughter – Steven O’Dea – Steph Thornton

Trainer – David Pfeiffer

“Good effort from the horse and a great ride from Bossy, I was a fraction worried mid-way through the race I didn’t think they were going quick enough but her turn of foot was electric.”

“We’ll wait to make a decision on next week until Monday but we’d be silly not to have a crack.”

“Since coming to my stables she’s only impressed me and she keeps getting better, first up fantastic at Kensington and a $250,000 race second up.”

Jockey – Glen Boss

“Her last run was full of merit not much in her favour over an unsuitable distance and finished really strong.”

“I wasn’t too concerned how far back we were I’d seen a few winners come down the outside today and I knew she had a hell of a sprint on her.”