Gold Coast start hinges on Valley effort

Bel Sonic needs to back up his last-start win to ensure a start in the $2m Magic Millions Guineas.

Trainer Jason Warren has his eyes fixed on a $2 million race at the Gold Coast with Bel Sonic but first he has to perform at Moonee Valley.

Bel Sonic needs to win the VOBIS Gold Carat (1200m) on Saturday to book a berth in the Magic Millions Three-Year-Old Guineas (1400m) on January 13.

The three-year-old currently stands No.41 in the order of entry for the Magic Millions race which has a field limit of 16 and five emergencies.

“A win on Saturday would probably get him in the field,” Warren said.

“You would imagine the race might drop away a touch because nominations are taken a long way out, but he’d probably need to win on Saturday to make sure of it.

“We don’t want to be travelling all that way, sweating on a run.”

Bel Sonic is one of 17 nominations for Saturday’s $120,000 three-year-old race which also carries $30,000 in Super VOBIS bonuses.

A son of Bel Esprit, the same sire as Warren’s former top-line galloper Bel Sprinter, Bel Sonic has raced four times.

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He made his debut in March, finishing third behind subsequent Group One winner Merchant Navy at Pakenham before winning at Geelong.

Bel Sonic returned in September, finishing fourth, before a freshen-up, returning with a first-up 1000m win at Pakenham on December 9.

The Mornington-based Warren said the gelding had come through the race in good order and it was full steam ahead to Moonee Valley.

Warren said being lightly raced, Bel Sonic would improve with more experience.

“He’s always shown us he’s well above average but he’s still a work in progress,” Warren said.

“He’s still pretty raw and doesn’t know what he’s doing yet but he’s a horse with plenty of upside, that’s for sure.

“The more experience he gets the better, and a trip away also won’t hurt him.

“If we could win a race like that up there it would help sell some yearlings.”

Ben Melham will take the ride on Saturday and again at the Gold Coast.