Michael Nolan to fire at Gold Coast

Upstart Pride will try to defend the Listed Goldmarket at the Gold Coast for trainer Michel Nolan.

Trainer Michael Nolan is based on the Darling Downs in Toowoomba but can continue his run of success at the Gold Coast with chances in three feature races.

Nolan recently sailed past 1000 career wins with the majority on his home track and in Brisbane.

But he has made a habit of travelling his horses the 120km to the Gold Coast where he has a better than 20 per cent win strike rate.

Nolan has had his share of success in stakes races at the Gold Coast including the Silk Stocking (Princess Margaret), Gold Coast Guineas (Chakvetadze) and Goldmarket (Upstart Pride).

Upstart Pride will again head the trainer’s Gold Coast assault on Saturday in the Goldmarket with Dream Finnish to tackle the $100,000 Gold Coast Stakes (1800m) and Accomplish the $250,000 Jewel Two-Year-Old (1200m).

Like all trainers Nolan is keeping a close eye on the weather with south east Queensland experiencing unpredictable conditions in recent weeks.

“Upstart Pride won his last start on a soft track and it was also soft for his win last year in the Goldmarket,” Nolan said.

“But he doesn’t want it too soft or too hard.”

Upstart Pride can push his prize money past $500,000 on Saturday and Nolan will map a winter campaign for him after the race.

Accomplish, a last-start winner, is one of three Toowoomba trained horses who are top chances in the Jewel along with the Kevin Kemp-trained Plumaro and Ben Currie’s Mishani Hustler.

The race is restricted to QTIS scheme eligible horses and has been won by several Toowoomba-trained horses including the inaugural winner, future Group One star Tinto.

Nolan has been keen to get Dream Finnish out to 1800m and he believes she is ready to run a big race after winning at Caloundra two weeks ago over 1400m.