wood set for sizzling winter after sensational Gold Coast win

Eagle Farm trainer Kelso Wood is set for a tremendous Winter with Sizzling after winning in sensational style in the Listed $100,000 Moreton Hire Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast today.

Sizzling was having his first race start since finishing fourth to Driefontein in the $1.6m Magic Millions Classic earlier in the year and after a slow start circled the field to score a runaway win.

Chris Munce had the short priced favourite in front of only two runners in the early stages but started to make a move at the 1000m and joined the leaders on the home turn.

Munce scouted wide on Sizzling and let him extend at the 300m and the Snitzel colt raced away to put daylight between him and the rest of the field.

The Gerald Ryan trained Dances On Stars keep trying and battled on for second, but was in another race with Dansonate finishing a close third.

Wood will now march on to the Group 2 $250,000 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 2 and the Group 1 $500,000 Patinack Farm T J Smith (1600m) at the same track a week later.

Wood admitted that he was a bit concerned when Sizzling was so far back but praised Munce’s ride from the 1000m onwards when he circled the field giving the colt plenty of room to stretch out.

“I was very worried there,” Wood said after Sizzling had most of the field in front of him around the back of the course.

“But he did ride him brilliant. He’s a very relaxed horse and that is why the 1400m and the mile are going to really suit him.”

Dances On Stars began fairly and was up with the leading bunch but couldn’t match it with Sizzling in the straight.

Sizzling was always short in the betting and started the $2 favourite, scoring by four and a half lengths at the finish from second favourite Dances On Stars ($4).

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.