Progressive three-year-old Benevac has a golden opportunity to guarantee himself a start in next month's lucrative Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on the Gold Coast with a victory in Sunday's Gosford Guineas (1200m).
Benevac's Golden Ticket Quest
Currently down the order of entry for the $3 million feature, the Ciaron Maher-trained galloper can earn a penalty and exemption by winning the Gosford feature. Adam Watt of Dynamic Syndications, which races the horse, believes he is primed for the task.
"He's a very nice horse. That's why he kicked off his career in a stakes race as a two-year-old," Watt said. "We've had a good opinion of him from the first time we put a bridle on him."
The son of Bivouac resumed his campaign with an unlucky second behind Columbia Blue over 1000m at Canterbury on December 12, after being held up until the 200m mark. "To be fair, he probably should have won first-up," Watt admitted.
Benevac, who is at $10 with the NSW TAB, brings strong sectional figures from that run. Watt pointed out a significant time difference compared to the favourite, Caffe Florian, from the same Canterbury meeting, suggesting his charge is underrated.
Sherry's Sunday Selections at Gosford
NSW form analyst Adam Sherry has dissected the entire Gosford card for Sunday, December 28, 2025. His best bet comes up in the final event.
BEST BET: Race 7 No. 1 - VALILEE. Smart winner in both runs last preparation and will improve from a first-up second.
NEXT BEST: Race 3 No. 4 - BALLPARK. Followed a handy debut second with an all-the-way win and looks set to run well again.
VALUE BET: Race 5 No. 3 - BENEVAC. Was an unlucky second when resuming and is a proven second-up winner.
Inside Mail: Key Races Analysed
RACE 5: Elite Sand & Soil Gosford Guineas (1200m)
This is the key race of the day, with Benevac (3) facing stiff competition. Ripley (2) brings metropolitan and stakes form from Melbourne, while Caffe Florian (5) is chasing a hat-trick of wins. Sherry suggests Benevac represents strong each-way value.
RACE 4: The Coast Club Malcolm Cusick Stakes (1200m)
Dynamic Syndications and Ciaron Maher also have Sociable (7) lining up here. The four-year-old drops significantly in weight to 52kg with apprentice Siena Grima aboard after carrying 61kg last start. Watt believes the set-up is ideal for a return to provincial level.
RACE 6: Gosford RSL Belle Of The Turf Stakes (1600m)
Hyperbolic (6) is chasing a hat-trick of wins after scoring at Rosehill and Randwick. She drops to the minimum weight and is Sherry's tip to continue her winning form.
Jockey Jason Collett is tipped for a strong day and could land an early double, making him the jockey to follow in the Jockey Challenge.
