Ipswich Hoop’s Emotional Win

Date: 19-Jun-2023

The Bayliss name is synonymous with racing in Ipswich. The family have a proud history of involvement and success at the Bundamba circuit dating back over 50 years.

A new chapter was etched into the history book on Saturday when jockey Jake Bayliss rode Chassis to victory in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic.

Born and bred in Ipswich, Bayliss has yearned to win his hometown cup. While he finished towards the back of the pack on Rousseau in this year’s Ipswich Cup, his mood would turn from sombre to ecstatic by the end of the day.

Partnering the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Chassis in the final race of the meeting, the Listed Kingsley Lawson Lawyers Gai Waterhouse Classic, Bayliss made full use of an inside gate to drive forward and take up a prominent position.

With leader Better Get Set drifting slightly off the fence, Bayliss capitalised to drive through with a furlong to go and power to the line for a length victory.

As they passed the winning post, an emotional Bayliss gave a salute to the crowd for the ages.

“Today started off very dour,” Bayliss said.

“I knew it was going to improve the further we got into today (Saturday) as my rides were a bit more quality.

“It was a bit unfortunate in the Eye Liner when I was held up a little bit on Blaze A Trail and only got out when it was too late.

“I took bad luck out of the equation (in the Gai Waterhouse Classic), used the gate and put her in the box seat.

“The leader gave a nice kick and rolled off the fence...she really attacked the line.

“In these high-pressure races on this sort of track, if you don’t use your gate early and put yourself there, next thing you know you’re four or five back on the fence.

“I really had to use the gate and put her there. She probably wasn’t travelling to be in there, but she stuck at it nicely.”

Bayliss has ridden in Victoria, New Zealand and Singapore and won Group 1 races but Saturday’s black-type win on his home track meant a lot more to him.

“I lost my grandparents, my grandmother six to eight months ago and my grandfather two years ago, both were life members at the club.

“Col Bayliss, my great grandfather, was a life member and my aunty Sharon was a clerk of the course here for twenty-something years.

“I grew up riding trackwork here and learned all the basics before I was sent to Melbourne by Dad (Jamie).

“He was a well-respected trainer and won the Ipswich Cup in 1989 on Dixie Kid.

“It probably wasn’t the one I wanted to win, obviously the hype was for the Ipswich Cup, but I’m just going to take it all aboard.”

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