Sydney filly Champagne Cuddles brought her Spring Carnival Group 1 form to the Gold Coast to produce a record breaking win in the Group 3 $125,000 Brandons Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) today.
Trainer Bjorn Baker, above, produced Champagne Cuddles first up to win the Gold Coast Guineas at the Gold Coast. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Champagne Cuddles was Group 1 placed twice during the 2017 Spring Carnival and trainer Bjorn Baker has produced the Not A Single Doubt filly to run a track record of 1.07.65s for the 1200m first up.
Corey Brown gave Champagne Cuddles ($3.40) a dream run just off the pace and was out in plenty of time to chase down the leader Whypeeo ($2.30 favourite) in the run to the line.
Jeff Lloyd had Whypeeo quickly into stride from a wide barrier and set a sizzling pace out in front, but the early effort told over the concluding stages but he still did an outstanding job to hold onto second spot.
The James Cummings trained Marble ($6) ran on from the back to fill third position.
Baker had given Champagne Cuddles two barrier trials in preparation for her return to the race track for his first run since finishing second to Alizee in the Group 1 $500,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in September during the 2017 Sydney Spring Carnival.
A win over 900m in a Warwick Farm trial on April 24 topped Champagne Cuddles off nicely for her return and Baker was glad to see her reproduce that winning effort today.
“She is a lovely filly. She has got great attitude. I was very confident, she is a very good horse,” Baker said.
“We have had a bit of a flat run and you need theses good horses to put their hand up which she has.”
“She has plenty of class and you only have to look at her form during the Spring, she did an amazing job so she is a deserving horse for a Group victory.”
“She has a massive ticker and she has a big girth. She is not overly tall but she is strong and she has a great attitude.”
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