Meeting In Review 17 August 2022

Date: 18-Aug-2022

The Ipswich Turf Club hosted metropolitan racing on Wednesday where quick times were the order of the day. With recent fine weather, the day’s racing started on a Good 4 surface but was upgraded to a Good 3 after race 5.

The meeting highlights included a training double to Queensland’s leading trainer Tony Gollan and jockey Ryan Maloney saluting the judge twice.

Spillify Breaks Maiden With Gutsy Win

The opening race of the day, the Follow @ipswichturfclub QTIS Three-Year-Old Fillies Maiden Plate looked on paper to be a race in two.

That’s exactly how it panned out with race favourite Spillify and second favourite Heroic Miss fighting out the finish of the 1350m event.

Both horses jumped well and searched for the lead. With the advantage of the inside, Heroic Miss held out Spillify to lead. Apprentice jockey Angela Jones edged closer at the 600m on Spillify to share the lead. The pair duked it out up the Ipswich straight with Spillify getting the better of her rival on the line.

Spillify’s trainer Billy Healey was pleased that the daughter of Spill The Beans was able to break her maiden status at start number three and claim the $36,450 prize money for connections.

“It’s good to clear her maiden,” Healey said.

“She probably had enough a week ago but we kept on trying.

“This race was always in mind as it was worth good money.

“We’ll give her a spell now. We’ll give her a good eight weeks and she’ll come back a better filly.”

With both Spillify and Heroic Miss given 57kg by the handicapper, Jones’ 3kg claim proved to be the difference at the end of a tough contest.

Healey was pleased he had the talented apprentice on board.

“It was a big move especially when they ride like that when they’re claiming three kilograms,” Healey said.

Smart Win By Well Bred Aban

The David Vandyke-trained Aban was very good on debut when narrowly beaten last month at the Sunshine Coast.

Punters took note of that effort and rallied around the son of Savabeel in Wednesday’s TAB Venue Mode QTIS Three-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Maiden Plate. Infact, he was backed as almost unbeatable starting a $1.45 favourite.

Jumping from barrier 6 in the field of eight, Aban was caught deep early but jockey Ryan Maloney didn’t panic and allowed his mount to roll forward and sit on the back of leader Dominance.

Dominance gave a kick in the straight but Aban fought back. In a similar finish to the first race, Aban really got his mind on the job late to arrive in time and claim the win.

Those that took the short quote would have breathed a sigh of relief that well bred gelding fought to claim the victory.

Freak In Total Control

Control Freak hasn’t been an easy horse for Tony Gollan to train.

Not a lot has gone right for the four-year-old gelding in his previous two starts but that changed on Wednesday when he started from the coveted inside gate in the Bubby Brunch 28 August Maiden Handicap over 1110m.

With gun hoop Jimmy Orman in the saddle, Control Freak was fair out of the gates but quickly drove forward along the rail to lead. Orman controlled the race in front and had some of his rivals off the bit prior to straightening. He gave a good quick in the straight and found plenty to win by a length.

Gollan was looking for Control Freak to show him something at Ipswich and was pleased that the son of Winning Rupert did so.

“He hasn’t been the easiest horse to work with,” Gollan said.

“He’s got quite a few quirks particularly for a lightly raced horse.

“He always wanted to get on the one rein and bore in towards the rail. Today (Wednesday) we drew the rail and had an opportunity to get on it.

“His first two starts, they haven’t been anything great because he hasn’t done anything right in them. Everything’s gone wrong.

“The idea today was to jump well. He stepped okay but I was really pleased when Rob Heathcote’s horse didn’t cross him.

“He was able to boot up and hold that lead and do what he can do well, which is use his overall speed and hang onto the fence.”

Island Magic caught the eye, rattling home for second to deliver the Gollan stable the quinella.

A Call From Heaven Delivers Gollan Double

Wednesday’s The Barn Family Restaurant Fillies & Mares Benchmark 65 Handicap panned out perfectly for A Call From Heaven thanks to a hot speed in front.

While Prasiolite and Goldeel were stepping out in front over the 1350m trip, Ryan Maloney was smoking his pipe midfield and letting his mare get into her rhythm. A Call From Heaven still had three-lengths to make up when they hit the straight but Maloney got his mount to the outside and she stormed home two to their one to win by half a length.

Top trainer Gollan was confident the daughter of Divine Prophet was heading for victory once the fast tempo developed.

“She ran really well first-up at the Sunshine Coast where the rail was out and ended up going right back after stepping a bit slow,” Gollan explained.

“We wanted to be closer today (Wednesday), more positive. When she won her maiden she led.

“Obviously they were going along at a good clip down the back and Ryan just put her in a beautiful spot and as they came to the corner, she looked the winner.”

The win was also Maloney’s second for the day.

While Gollan was happy with the stable’s winning double, he is looking forward to a big Spring Carnival with a big team starting to make their way south.

Bundyandcoke Form Stands Up At Ipswich

The people of Ipswich are known for their love of the fine alcoholic drop, Bundaberg Rum.

If they paid close attention to the form guide at Wednesday’s meeting it would also have directed them towards two winners.

On 3 August at Eagle Farm, Bundyandcoke won over 1200m. A number of horses that ran well behind him, specifically Tolkowsky and Expectant, then won on Wednesday at their next starts.

The Barry Lockwood-trained Tolkowsky finished sixth behind Bundyandcoke ahead of lining up in the Schweppes Colts, Geldings & Entires Benchmark 65 Handicap at Ipswich.

Tolkowsky jumped well from the inside gate for Robbie Fradd to settle fifth the fence. Prior to straightening, Fradd moved the Snitzel gelding off the fence and to the outside. The five-year-old still had a few lengths up with 100m to go but sprouted wings to launch late and win well by half a length.

The John Thomas-trained Expectant caught the eye when resuming with a strong finish for second behind Bundyandcoke. While Tolkowsky stepped up to 1350m, Expectant stayed at 1200m and took his place in the Trivia Night 16 September Class 3 Plate.

The five-year-old with apprentice Adin Thompson in the saddle, dropped out the back to settle a few lengths off the second last runner. As Prince Amongst Men and Magnitudo served it up to each other on the turn, Thompson started to circle the field.

It got very messy in the straight with a number of horses trying to fit into the same small space. That didn’t affect Expectant as he stormed down the outside to claim a narrow victory.

Last Race Larry Delivers Again

Not to be outdone by fellow veteran jockey Michael Cahill who pulled off a classic switch to the rail move to win the penultimate race, Larry Cassidy came out and won the final race of the day, the Great Northern Class 5 Handicap over 1100m.

Cassidy has a reputation for winning the last race at meetings and hence has been dubbed ‘Last Race Larry’ in some circles.

The Matt Kropp-trained Vast Kama had been racing in good form this preparation besides one blemish three starts back. From an outside gate, Cassidy rustled up the son of Spirit Of Boom early to settle third. With Never Paid having set a cracking tempo in front, Vast Kama didn’t shirk his task when others did to charge home and win by just under a length.

‘Last Race Larry’ supporters were once again rejoicing at the end of what was a great day’s racing.

Horses To Follow

Race 3 - Island Magic: Ryan Maloney did a terrific job to find the fence from barrier 10 so early in this 1100m sprint. As they straightened, Island Magic looked to be full of running but was held up for clear running. She got clear air with 200m to go and wound up strongly to finish second. She’s now placed five times in seven starts and that first win doesn’t look far away.

Race 6 - Zoukina: It was sick viewing if you backed Zoukina on Wednesday. Ryan Maloney settled in the second half of the field after drawing the inside gate. Things went pear shaped on the turn. The stewards report reads as follows, “Approaching the 500m raced in restricted room and contacted the running rail. Held up for clear running for the length of the home straight and went to the line unable to be fully tested by its rider.” It’s debatable whether Zoukina would have won but one thing is certain she never got a crack and was only 1.9 lengths away last. She’s worth following second-up.

By Craig Sheppard

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