The Queensland Winter Racing Carnival steps up a notch today, Saturday the 15th of May, at the Gold Coast Racecourse with A.D. Hollindale Stakes Day 2021 and below we take a look at the latest scratchings and track report ahead of the first.

Star Kiwi mare Melody Belle is one of the headline runners in the 2021 A.D. Hollindale Stakes field at the Gold Coast. Photo: Steve Hart.
Gold Coast Track Report – 08/05/2021
Gold Coast Turf Club
- Rail: True Entire Course
- Penetrometer: 6.1
- Weather: Fine
- Dual Track Meeting: N
- Track Type: Turf
- Track Rating: Heavy (8)
- General Comment: Finalised 8/5 – 7:45am
- Irrigation: Nil last 24hrs, Nil last 7days
- Rainfall: Nil last 24hrs, 83.5mm last 7days
The weather at the Gold Coast today is for a partly cloudy but otherwise fine day meaning there is a slight chance the current Heavy (8) track rating could be upgraded throughout the card.
Gold Coast racing gets underway today at 11:25am (AEST) and the nine-race line-up – with a host of Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival Group 1 lead-ups – is set to continue through until the fillies and mares face off in the Listed $150,000 Silk Stocking (1400m) at 4:24pm (AEST).
There are three Group race highlights to look forward to, the first of which is the Group 3 $150,000 Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) running as Race 5 at 1:49pm (AEST) for the two-year-olds heading towards the Group 1 J.J. Atkins.
The 2021 Ken Russell Memorial Classic field is down to 10 runners with five early withdrawals and updated markets at Ladbrokes.com.au are firmly led by the Chris Waller-trained Ranch Hand ($2.35) racing for the first time since his fifth at the track in January’s $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
There’s a Queensland Oaks lead-up next on the program with the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (Race 6) before the Group 3 $150,000 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) runs as Race 7 at 3:04pm (AEST).
Annable Neasham’s widely-draw Wisdom Of Water (12), the Kris Lees-trained Miss Canada (9), Kumasi (3) and Garoppolo (2) are the 2021 Gold Coast Guineas scratchings, odds on the remaining runners led by Inglis Sprint winner Rocketing By ($4.40).
The meeting’s marquee race is then scheduled to run as Race 8 at 3:44pm (AEST) with a field of potential Doomben Cup horses doing battle in the Group 2 $500,000 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m).
There’s a capacity A.D. Hollindale Stakes 2021 field gathered and it looks one of the strongest editions of the event in recent years with the likes of Avilius ($3.90), Melody Belle ($7.50) and Homesman ($7.50) facing off.
The scratching of Danny O’Brien’s mare Paradee (15) from the feature sees local hope The Candy Man gain a start in the Hollindale.
See below for the complete A.D. Hollindale Stakes Day 2021 program, Gold Coast race times and current scratchings before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for the best winter racing odds.
Gold Coast Scratchings – 08/05/2021
Total Scratchings: 23
Race 1 (11:25am) – $75,000 Play Gold Coast Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m)
- #9 Polemic (11)
Race 2 (12:04pm) – $105,000 MG Gold Coast Bat Out Of Hell (900m)
- #8 Colpo Di Tamburo
Race 3 (12:39pm) – $125,000 Heineken Gold Coast Cup (2400m)
- #7 Traduce
Race 4 (1:14pm) – Listed $125,000 102.9 Hot Tomato Goldmarket (1200m)
- #1 Scallopini
Race 5 (1:49pm) – Group 3 $150,000 TAB Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m)
- #1 Kalashnikov (9)
- #6 Cork Harbour (10)
- #8 Frontman (4)
- #10 London Bell
- #13 Invinsible Tears
Race 6 (2:24pm) – Listed $150,000 Johnni Walker Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m)
- #10 Fifteen Aria (8)
- #15e Designs (11)
- #17e Toni Too
- #18e Big Hitter
Race 7 (3:04pm) – Group 3 $150,000 Brandons Gold Coast Guineas (1200m)
- #4 Wisdom Of Water (12)
- #7 Kumasi
- #10 Garoppolo
- #15 Miss Canada (9)
Race 8 (3:44pm) – Group 2 $500,000 TAB A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m)
- #12 Paradee
- #15e Brandenburg (7)
- #17e Flash Aah (10)
Race 9 (4:24pm) – Listed $150,000 Attwood Marshall Lawyers Silk Stocking (1400m)
- #10 Tardis
- #13 Explosive Quality
- #19e Front Money (13)
*All times quoted are local (AEST) and are subject to change; odds by Ladbrokes.com.au and correct at time of publication.