Albion Park free racing tips and quaddie | Thursday, February 1
Albion Park is set to host a 12-race program on Thursday night from 6:13PM local time. The meeting is headlined by two Group 1 finals, The Gold Cup is set to be run over the 710m featuring the likes of Valpolicella and Big Suzie, as well as the Gold Bullion set to be run over the 520m featuring the likes of Morton and Bear's Bullet.
Gold Cup: Pearly Tears (3)
The 2024 Group 1 Gold Cup 710m appears to be an open contest where one could make a case for all eight finalists. Last Thursday, three heats were run and won, with all three winners breaking 42 seconds. Both #1 Pursuer and #6 Drill Sergeant will look to push forward and contest the lead, with the likes of #2 Scintillate, #3 Pearly Tears, #4 Big Suzie and #5 Valpolicella all trying to get the drop on the leaders. #3 Pearly Tears was impressive last week, having her first look at the track and coming from just off the speed to win. She is likely to get a similar run in transit and is sure to derive benefits from having a run at Albion Park. #5 Valpolicella has been racing in super form, having won two features at Wentworth Park in as many weeks. She is currently Queensland's best stayer, and will be aiming to win a Group 1 race on home soil and will be the strongest finisher. #2 Scintillate is the best of the rest and is another who will get a similar run in transit to last week's heat where she finished on the heels of Pearly Tears.
Gold Cup
Race 6 – 
Pearly Tears (3)
Form: 11311 | Career: 24: 11-4-4 | Trainer: Tim Britton
Gold Bullion: Morton (5)
The 2024 Group 1 Gold Bullion 520m is now a wide open contest with the late scratching of prepost favourite Jay Is Jay. Four heats were conducted last Thursday, with arguably all the big names in Queensland racing gaining entry into the $250,000 to the winner final. This race is stacked with early speed, with the likes of #1 Bear's Bullet, #2 Magistrate, #3 Cluster, #4 All Natural #5 Morton all capable of producing a 5.50 first split. Morton appears best suited to the scratching of Jay Is Jay and he has been rightly backed into favourite. His previous map appeared tricky, having to hold out the flying Queenslander, and now with #9 Scarlatti getting a start from box eight, there's less pressure outside for the Victorian to deal with. Both Bear's Bullet and Magistrate will be going hammer and tong early to gain the lead. Whoever gains ascendancy will be hard to run down, while the other will likely miss the frame. All Natural was brilliant in his return from an injury which put him out of the 2023 Group 1 Ipswich Gold Cup. He possesses the talent and X-Factor to take out this contest. He will just need to miss Cluster early, who will look to angle off the track heading out of the first turn.
Gold Bullion
Race 8 – 
Morton (5)
Form: 18113 | Career: 19: 12-2-3 | Trainer: Jessica Sharp
Race 4: Plum Tuckered (8)
The Country Cup Final is restricted to runners from Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Townsville. Plum Tuckered appears extremely well placed and is racing in a rich vein of form, having won her last five on the bounce, including breaking the 498m Townsville track record last start. She has extensive experience around Albion Park due to previously being located in Brisbane. From her 13 starts at this track and trip, she has won four races with a personal best of 29.83. She is well suited to box eight, having won three of her five starts. Expect Plum Tuckered to contest the lead early and be too strong for rivals in the back half of the race.
Best Bet
Race 4 – 
Plum Tuckered (8)
Form: 11111 | Career: 53: 20-7-6 | Trainer: Danny Preh
Race 2: Warm Regards (1)
Western Australian runner Warm Regards can make significant improvements in her second Queensland start. The daughter of Pat C Sabbath has been racing in fine form in WA, having finished in the top two at three of her past five starts. She was having her first start at Albion Park when finishing last in a heat of the Gold Cup. Thursday's free-for-all appears to be an open contest, with many of her rivals being anything but bombproof. She is well boxed in the red, with Witty Wendy outside likely to use the track on all corners. Expect Warm Regards to be well supported and improve out of sight.
Next Best
Race 2 – 
Warm Regards (1)
Form: 72172 | Career: 34: 7-5-7 | Trainer: James Jeffries
