Meeting In Review – 27 September 2023

Date: 28-Sep-2023

Metropolitan midweek racing came to Ipswich on Wednesday with the club hosting a seven-race card.

Although there were only seven races, that didn’t stop several participants helping themselves to multiple wins.

We’ve looked back at some of Wednesday’s highlights.

Orman Asserts Dominance

Last season’s leading Ipswich jockey Jimmy Orman has wasted no time in asserting his dominance on the 2023/24 premiership.

The gun hoop sits firmly at the top of this season’s ladder after claiming a winning treble at Wednesday’s meeting.

Orman rode hot favourite Align The Planets in the opening event, but despite providing a top ride he couldn’t lift his mount over the line.

It didn’t take long for Orman to register his first win.

The popular equine pilot partnered the heavily backed Rising Pacific in race 2, the SEVEN Class 1 Handicap.

After a luckless run at his previous start, the Tony Gollan-trained four-year-old gelding started a $1.28 favourite.

Orman came out neutral on Rising Pacific and settled fourth in the five-horse field.

With 600m to go, Orman stoked his mount up to improve his position around the outside.

At the top of the straight, it looked like Rising Pacific was going to gap his rival, but Toolatemate was having none of that and the pair settled in for the fight.

In typical Orman fashion he got just enough out of the favourite to win by a head.

Orman wasted no time in recording his second win of the day when he teamed up with A Lot Of Booty in race 3, the KINGSLEY LAWSON LAWYERS Maiden Handicap.

The champion jockey proved that you don’t need to be drawn low to be winning an 800m scamper.

The Gary Duncan-trained four-year-old gelding jumped well from the outside barrier in the field of 11 to take up a forward position with Orman happy to sit five wide on speed.

Despite the wide run, A Lot Of Booty was too powerful in the concluding stages and won by a neck.

In the final race of the day, the SIRROMET BENCHMARK 68 Handicap over 1350m, Orman joined forces with his old boss Kelly Schweida and Maid To Fit.

The daughter of Snitzel jumped well from barrier 2 which allowed Orman to drive forward and settle fifth the fence, not far off the leaders.

Orman stoked the mare up with 400m to go and edged out off the leaders backs to present three wide entering the straight.

Maid To Fit let down beautifully and drew clear with a furlong to go to win by just under half a length.

The win was Maid To Fit’s third in a row.

Wednesday’s three wins took Orman’s Ipswich season tally to nine, which is four more than his nearest rival Ben Thompson.

Daily Doubles

While Jimmy Orman scored himself a winning treble, three other participants notched doubles.

Trainers Tony Gollan, Kelly Schweida and jockey Cejay Graham, all found themselves in the winner's stall on two occasions at Wednesday’s meeting.

Gollan had several short-priced favourites on the day and was expected to record multiple wins.

As previously mentioned, Queensland’s leading trainer enjoyed success in race 2 with Rising Pacific.

His second win came in race 4, the RIVER 94.9FM BENCHMARK 68 Handicap over 800m with Liquor.

The daughter of Spirit Of Boom looked well placed second-up with the drop in class.

Under Cejay Graham, Liquor mustered speed quickly from an inside gate to take up a forward position.

Ruby Chicks drove up underneath her and the pair entered the straight side by side.

Liquor had too much firepower and drove clear to win comfortably by 1.5 lengths.

Gollan’s double provided him with a share of the lead in the 2023/24 Ipswich Trainers Premiership and put his title defense back on track.

After winning aboard Liquor, Graham went back-to-back when she teamed up with the Schweida-trained Casrock in race 5, BARRIER REEF POOLS Class 2 Plate.

The 2kg claiming apprentice made short work of the outside barrier and drove forward to take up the running in the 1200m contest.

It looked like the Gollan-trained $1.20 favourite Latakia was going to issue a challenge prior to straightening but Graham was having none of that and shot clear by two lengths with 300m to go.

It proved to be a winning move as while Latakia closed the gap late, the damage had been done and the result was sealed with a 0.8 of a length victory.

The result would have provided Schweida with great joy given he got one over his old sparring partner Gollan.

Graham’s two winners were her first at Ipswich this season.

Schweida registered his double in the final race of the day with Maid To Fit.

Guthmann-Chester – The Ipswich Money Maker

Just last month, we made mention in this column of jockey Jag Guthmann-Chester's impressive record at Ipswich.

The Gold Coast hoop seemingly only comes to an Ipswich meeting if he’s going to ride a winner.

That was again the case on Wednesday when he made the trek up the M1 Highway for just the one ride.

Guthmann-Chester rode the Felicia Bergstrand-trained Hodgson in race 6, the GREAT NORTHERN BENCHMARK 68 Handicap.

Despite racing keenly in the early stages and wide throughout after drawing barrier 11, the five-year-old gelding produced a powerful turn of foot to race away with a 1.5 length win.

Hodgson paid $18 for the win and proved once again that ‘JGC’ is a jockey to follow when he comes to Ipswich.

The win took Guthmann-Chester's winning strike rate to 30.77% for the season which is the better than premiership leader Jimmy Orman.

Ipswich Trainer Shares The Spoils

Last season’s leading local trainer, Trevor Lambourn was forced to share the spoils in the opening race of the day, the TAB Maiden Plate when his horse and another could not be separated by the judge.

Lambourn put the saddle on $16 chance Jenni Inda Jungle who was ridden by talented apprentice Bailey Wheeler.

The chestnut mare enjoyed a nice run in fifth place, just a few lengths behind the leaders.

Wheeler got busy prior to straightening and loomed up three wide while Tambourine Man saved ground and moved closer along the fence.

The pair slugged it out in the final 100m with their heads bobbing in front with each stride.

They went across the line together and it took some time for stewards to decide that a gap could not be found between the two horses.

While Lambourne officially has to share the victory, it does put him back on top of the Local Trainers Premiership for this season.

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