Gold Trail will go to the Magic Millions Carnival in January 2012

Gold Trail is one of the most well travelled horses to embark from Australia over the last few years but connections will have a welcome change at his next event.

Gold Trail has only raced in Queensland twice, on debut at Doomben in 2006 and earlier this year during the Brisbane winter carnival.

He finished out of the money on both occasions but can turn that all around when he races at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Carnival in January.

The Hussonet gelding actually began life on the Gold Coast where he was trained by John Wallace.

He was only there for one start though before heading south to the stables of Gary Portelli.

Portelli remains at the helm of the seven year old and says it makes sense to attack the Magic Millions given the owners live there and so too does the horse at the moment.

“He has had a spell in Queensland and his owners live there so we thought it would be nice for him to race there,” Portelli said.

“The Magic Millions Sprint is over 1000 metres which suits and it’s a $200,000 race as well.”

Gold Trail developed a good record in Australia early in his career winning three on the trot during the beginning of 2009.

He then ran third in the Group 1 Galaxy to finish his prep before travelling across to New Zealand at the end of that year.

It was a smart move and he won at the top level for the first time in the Group One Railway Stakes on New Year’s Day of 2010.

That began his oversees runs which included stints in Singapore for the KrisFlyer Sprint and the UK for the King’s Stand Stakes.

He suffered an injury during that run though and since spent nearly a year out of the game.

He returned to Australia this year for four starts without cracking the top three but Portelli insists he’s ready to get back to his best.

“He has spelled really well,” Portelli said.

“He raced a bit flat last preparation but I think this break has done him good.”

The 2012 Gold Coast Magic Millions Carnival is due to get underway in the second week of January just outside of Surfer’s Paradise.