Flag Hall lands major prize New

Date: 15-May-2025

FEATURE racing came to Ipswich on Wednesday, with the $105,000 Bat out of Hell transferred from the Gold Coast last Saturday to our midweeker.

It was worth the wait for trainer Lee Freedman and connections, with Flag Hall ($6) putting in a faultless display to land the major prize under Melbourne Cup winning jockey Robbie Dolan.

The Ipswich Turf Club felt for the Gold Coast last Saturday with persistent rain forcing the abandonment of the final event on their big Hollindale Stakes card.

We were pleased to be able to host the Bat out of Hell on the GCTC’s behalf on Wednesday, with Ipswich being fortunate to avoid the heavy rain which has hit both Coasts in the past week.

Noel Callow stole riding honours on the remainder of the card, riding a winning treble for a trio of stables.

Callow opened his Ipswich Wednesday account when the Kelly Schweida trained Guac On ($7.50) defied a betting drift to stave off the fast finishing and unlucky heavily backed Green Spring in the Gordon’s Gin QTIS 2YO Handicap (1100m).

Callow’s second win came on the Chris Waller trained Super Chilled ($6) in the Ray White Ipswich Class 4 Handicap (1680m), before rounding out his treble on former Victorian Aldolfito ($8.50), who won the Seven Class 4 Handicap (1200m) for new trainer Matt Hoysted.

Earlier, odds-on favourites Convo ($1.55), for the Ciaron Maher and Kyle Wilson-Taylor combination, and King Boom (Tony Gollan/Emily Lang) were successful, but punters did it tougher in the back half of the program.

The final event was taken out by I Am A Marvel, who saluted at starting odds of $12 for trainer Rob Heathcote and apprentice Bailey Wheeler.

Racing returns to Ipswich next Wednesday, May 21, with the highlight being The Provocative (2180m), a $75,000 (more with QTIS bonuses) staying contest for three-year-olds heading towards the Queensland Derby and Queensland Oaks. The race has been re-named this year in honour of the Tony Pike trained filly Provocative, who won this race in 2016 before going on to win the Queensland Oaks at her very next start.

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