Bjorn Baker’s dual Group 1 placed filly Champagne Cuddles performed terrific first-up in Queensland beating home the boys fresh in the Gold Coast Guineas 2018 results.

Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker as the “top stuff” in mind for his Gold Coast Guineas 2018 winner Champagne Cuddles this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival. Photo: Daniel Costello.

Warwick Farm horseman Baker said the “top stuff” over the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival was on the agenda for his class three-year-old daughter of Not A Single Doubt after her impressive victory in the Group 3 $125,000 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m).

“She’s a lovely filly. She’s hard not to love, she’s got a great attitude and a great racing pattern,” he said post-win.

“I was very confident. She’s a very good horse.

“You only have to look at her form during the spring.

“She’s got a massive ticker and a bit girth…she’s strong and she’s got a great attitude, it’s an absolute pleasure to train her.”

Giving the girls back-to-back wins in the A.D. Hollindale Stakes Day support act following the success of Savanna Amour (2017) last year, Champagne Cuddles had her first run since the second to Alizee in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last September.

That was her fourth second on the trot, the perennial placegetter’s other best spring run being the second to Trapeze Artist in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m).

Trapeze Artist franked the form over the autumn this year winning the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick beating the older horses on both occasions.

The Golden Rose form held again in the easier Gold Coast Guineas race, Champagne Cuddles given a gun run from the inside alley by dual Melbourne Cup winning jockey Corey Brown.

The one-time favourite in Gold Coast Guineas betting at Ladbrokes.com.au eased out to $3.20 by the jump with all the money on the local Toby Edmonds-trained I Am Invincible gelding Whypeeo ($2.30) coming off the lead-up Listed Mick Dittman (1050m) win at Doomben from April 21.

Jockey Jeff Lloyd went straight to the front on the well-backed Whypeeo, the horse going forward to take the early lead from Meikas and Freddie Fox Trot.

Champagne Cuddles meanwhile was perfectly positioned fifth on the inside of Ours To Keep, the filly biding her time and getting a glorious run back on the fence.

Whypeeo led the field onto the straight, while Brown peeled out on Champagne Cuddles to begin the chase.

With just 50m left to travel the filly levelled up to the favourite before charging past him and scoring a three-quarter length victory, before the Godolphin-raced Marble ($6) rounded out the Gold Coast Guineas trifecta a further three quarters back in third.

Champagne Cuddles also set a new track record winning the Gold Coast Guineas in a sharp time of 1:07.65 adding further merit to her winter campaign kick-off.

There are options galore for the Gold Coast Guineas winning filly Champagne Cuddles next race including the Group 3 $150,000 Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben on May 26.

She also holds an early nomination for next Saturday’s Group 1 $700,000 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) and currently pays $13 in pre-field odds at Ladbrokes.com.au to beat the likes of Redzel and In Her Time.

Check out all the best Group 1 Brisbane racing odds and offers over the coming weeks now through Ladbrokes.com.au.

2018 Gold Coast Guineas Results & Finishing Order

Gold Coast Race 7 – 05/05/2018