News
Meeting In Review – 13 July 2023
Date: 14-Jul-2023
Racing returned to Ipswich on Thursday following a two-week break.
We’ve provided a recap of some of the highlights across the eight-race card below.
Apprentice Claims A Winning Double
Cejay Graham only recently relocated to Brisbane from her hometown of Port Macquarie, but it has already proven to be a winning decision.
The apprentice jockey celebrated the move with a winning race-to-race double at Ipswich on Thursday.
The first of Graham’s wins came in race 5, the Sirromet QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate over 1200m, aboard Master Gee.
The Michael Nolan-trained gelding was well supported by the market, jumping as a $2.70 second favourite after as much as $11 was on offer when prices went up on Wednesday.
Using barrier 1 to advantage, the popular apprentice flew out of the gates and drove her mount forward to lead.
Graham controlled the race before firing the son of Better Than Ready up as they straightened for home.
While Master Gee got tired late, he did enough to hold on for a 0.8 of a length victory and pull off the plunge.
The win came at the Toowoomba galloper’s tenth start.
It didn’t take long for Graham to register her second win for the day.
In the very next race, the Great Northern Class 4 Handicap, the 1.5kg claimer partnered the Garnett Taylor-trained First Son.
The five-year-old gelding jumped on terms with his rivals but quickly mustered speed to settle second in the 1350m contest.
Graham fired First Son up prior to straightening as she looked to run down leader Olympic Legend.
The son of Bold Attraction had no sooner hit the front with 100m to go, when he had to fend off the late challenge from the fast-finishing Majestics Request.
He did so successfully to win by half a length and take his record to five wins from 14 starts.
Ipswich is proving to be a happy hunting ground for Graham who also rode a winning double on Ipswich Cup Day.
Twyford Wins For Local Trainer
Ipswich trainer John Hubbard only has a small team but there is no doubt that the star of the stable is Twyford.
The three-year-old gelding took his record to three wins from 15 starts on Thursday when he claimed the WWW.IEEC.COM.AU QTIS Three-Year-Old BENCHMARK 58 Handicap over 1350m.
All three of Twyford’s wins have come on his home track.
Irish jockey Martin Harley has built a great association with the son of Dream Ahead and was back in the saddle yesterday.
Conscience of his mount having to carry the top weight of 61kg, Harley tucked in one back the fence to not spend any unnecessary energy.
Twyford was absolutely bolting as they approached the run home. Harley peeled out with a furlong to go allowing the gelding to let down beautifully.
With 3.5kg more than Sizzling Gal, getting over the top of that horse didn’t come easy but Twyford lifted to win by a nose.
The win was Hubbard’s third win of the season, all with Twyford, and took the Bundamba conditioner to equal top of the Local Trainers Premiership.
Judge Couldn’t Separate Two-Year-Olds In Scamper
It’s often a case of ‘you snooze, you lose’ in our 800m races and while only a short dash to the winning post, they can provide some exciting action.
That was the case in Thursday’s TAB QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate.
Toute Sweet for Brett Baker and the John Smerdon-trained Kesalul were the first horses to leave the gates.
The pair went toe to toe in the straight and went across the line together.
After several minutes deliberation, the judge could not find a margin between the two and a dead heat was declared.
The drama did not end there however with connections of Toute Sweet firing in a protest, alleging interference in the straight.
While Kesalul was inclined to lay out, subsequently taking Toute Sweet wider on the track, stewards were of the opinion that this incident was minor in nature and that jockey Georgie Cartwright, rider of Toute Sweet was able to fully test her mount out throughout in the home straight. Stewards could not be comfortably satisfied that had this incident not occurred that Toute Sweet would have finished ahead of Kesalul, and therefore the protest was dismissed.
Hasten Delight Is One To Follow
Peter Robl only moved his training operation to Queensland a few months ago but he’s already discovered the right type of horse for our conditions.
That was clearly the case with his runner, Hasten Delight, at Thursday’s Ipswich meeting.
The three-year-old gelding started a drifting $4.20 favourite in the final event of the day, The Barn Family Restaurant Class 2 Handicap.
He’d looked good prior to his first Queensland start on Thursday, winning two and placing in another from three career starts.
Jag Guthmann-Chester had a tricky barrier to deal with and was forced to work early to settle third the fence.
When leader Landsborough Lad wobbled entering the straight, it opened up a saloon passage for Guthmann-Chester to drive through and take the lead.
Landsborough Lad put up a fight but the son of Star Turn pulled out plenty to draw clear at the end of the 1200m trip and win by three-lengths.
It was an impressive display from the lightly raced galloper and signaled that he’s one to follow as he steps up through the grades.
Horses To Follow
Race 5 – Queen Of Thoughts will take great benefit from her debut race. The Tony Gollan-trained filly was began awkwardly and raced ungenerously early. She was forced to make a long run but still clocked the quickest final 600m and 200m of the race which were also some of the top sectionals of the day. She’ll only benefit from that run.
Race 7 – Money Bear has taken his time to work out what the racing caper is about how put in a great showing in Thursday’s 1350m contest. He wasn’t suited by the slow tempo but worked home strongly, clocking the quickest final 400m of the race and one of the fastest for the meeting. He looks ready to win next start.
Race 8 – Hasten Delight as spotlighted above
By Craig Sheppard