By Richard Goodbody
Boom filly Coolangatta will make her Queensland debut on Sunday when she steps out in the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes at Doomben.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace -trained daughter of Written Tycoon is presently a $2.20 favourite for next month’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic, with most pundits believing she is a moral for the $2 million Gold Coast feature.
Those views were only solidified when star hoop, James McDonald, bypassed International Day in Hong Kong in order to take up the ride on Sunday.
Earlier this week, Coolangatta arrived in the Sunshine State and is set to make her assault on the TAB Queensland Summer Racing Carnival riches after a head turning performance on debut in the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick in October.
“She looks to be in good order,” Maher said.
“I think she ran the quickest Gimcrack and there’s been some good horses go through there and she’s just a lovely horse to do everything with so (she has) a lot of potential.”
Sitting on the third line of betting at $11 for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic is the Jamie Richards-trained Bright Blue Sky, who will also line-up on Sunday.
Like Coolangatta, Bright Blue Sky has had just the one start to date, scoring in a Listed two-year-old race in New Zealand last month.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock presently sits 17th in the order of entry, and will be hoping to bank some much needed prize money to secure a start on the Gold Coast.
The BJ McLachlan Stakes headlines an impressive Boxing Day card that includes Listed Falvelon, which offers a wildcard into the $1 million Magic Millions Snippets, along with the Bernborough and the City to Surf Plate.