News
Meeting In Review 5 October 2022
Date: 06-Oct-2022
Following five weeks of track refurbishment work, the club was pleased to welcome participants back to Ipswich for Wednesday’s metropolitan meeting. Eight races were run and won with a number of impressive performances.
An overcast sky kept the track a Soft 6 throughout the day. Meeting highlights included David Vandyke unveiling a high quality filly, Ben Thompson collecting a winning double and apprentice jockey Yvette Lewis recording her first metropolitan win.
Blinkers Do The Trick For Acrobatic
The Kelly Schweida-trained galloper Acrobatic was unlucky not to win last start at Toowoomba on Weetwood day.
The five-year-old ran into traffic in the closing stages at Toowoomba but that wasn’t the case in today’s THIS IS A CONVERSATION STARTER RACEDAY 28 OCTOBER Class 6 Handicap.
Jockey Jim Byrne has earned a reputation as the King of Ipswich for his expert riding of the Bundamba circuit and his skills were again on show aboard Acrobatic.
The Snitzel gelding jumped well and settled second in the 1200 metre sprint. Byrne sat just off leader Daltoro in the run. He wound up in the straight but it wasn’t until the final 100 metres that Acrobatic surged to gain ascendancy and the win.
Schweida revealed that the replacing winkers with blinkers along with a gun Byrne ride was the key to victory.
“The other day he ran well but it was his own fault that he didn’t win,” Schweida said.
“He wanted to hang in and he does a lot of things wrong. He sees a few pink elephants but today I left it up to Jimmy.
“Nobody rides Ipswich better than Jimmy Byrne. He was going to lead or see what happened through the race.
“He was pretty good today, we changed a bit of gear on him. We took the pacifiers off him and put blinkers on.
“We went back through his runs and when he had blinkers on before he didn’t lay in as bad.
“He had a few good runs in blinkers so we took the punt.
“Jimmy was really confident before the race so that was good.”
Aitkenhead Has More Than A Big Chance
It took A Big Chance thirty starts to record his second win.
Since recording that second win he has been like a different horse, adding another two wins to his tally including today’s MELBOURNE CUP LUNCH TICKETS ON SALE Class 3 Handicap.
When the gates opened for the 1666 metre test, A Big Chance immediately took up his customary role at the back of the pack. As they turned for home he was still seven lengths off leader Brazen Breccia.
Jockey Chris Meehan got busy with 600 metres to go, working his way forward. Under the urging of Meehan, A Big Chance picked up strongly in the straight to run the field down to claim a comprehensive one-length victory.
Trainer Jan Aitkenhead was surprised to see the gelding was considered an $18 chance to win today’s race.
“What about the price? I never thought he’d be that price today,” Aitkenhead exclaimed.
“I thought he’d be about five or six to one!
“He’s taken a really long time to get things together. He used to do a lot wrong.
“He needs a lot of luck because he comes from behind but he’s starting to really put things together now.
“After today I’ll probably put him out for a short break as every time I put him out for a break he comes back better.”
The Deagon trainer suggested that the late maturing six-year-old has his best to come and is enjoying his racing more now than ever.
“Shinzigs take time and I think that he’ll be even better as a seven and eight-year-old.
“He’s very tough and he loves the back-up, loves to race.”
All Stashed Up Impresses Fresh
Toowoomba sprinter All Stashed Up kept her perfect first-up record intact and continued her love affair with the Ipswich track when she won today’s BASE METAL FABRICATION Class 2 Handicap over 1000 metres.
The striking grey mare was having her first start since February. Her only other win was when she proved too strong over 800 metres here on debut just under a year ago.
All Stashed Up began well from her outside gate which allowed 3kg claimer Angela Jones to settle handy in fourth. The pair loomed up on the outside entering the straight before letting down nicely with a furlong to go to win impressively.
Toowoomba trainer Jennifer Fraser admitted to having some concerns about the daughter of Better Than Ready handling the 1000 metres first-up.
“It was originally an 800 metre race and I wondered if she was fit enough because we set her for that but look at her go,” Fraser said.
“She had a jumpout on the 20th of September where she went very nicely. She didn’t have any weight on so we didn’t get too excited.
“But I know she’s a nice horse so I’m very happy with the win today.”
Fraser was pleased with the ride by gun apprentice Angela Jones. Jones suggested that the lightly raced five-year-old is Saturday class.
“The trainer was pretty confident,” Jones said.
“She said she trialled really nicely but was a little bit worried about the 1000 metres. She said she would have been really confident over half a mile.
“It wasn’t really a worry today.
“I think she should have a crack at a Saturday race now based on how she ran through the line. It was very strong.”
Vandyke Unveils Another Nice Horse
The David Vandyke-trained filly Matriarch Rose started her racing career in impressive fashion in today’s SIRROMET QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Handicap.
After the gates opened and the speed went on in the 1350m race, jockey Michael Cahill allowed his mount to drift back and settle in the second last pair. As they turned for home, the daughter of Epaulette made her move, creeping forward on the outside.
With 350 metres to go she still had three or four lengths to make up. However she jumped up out of the ground to charge home and pick off Guru Class on the winning post.
While the win suggests Matriarch Rose has an abundance of ability, the Sunshine Coast trainer revealed that he did have queries early days as to whether the filly would amount to much.
“It’s been quite amazing,” Vandyke said.
“Those first few preps she had, I didn’t have a glowing view of her.
“She was just going through the motions and didn’t really know what to do. However, in that most recent trial she really hit the line strong.
“It was almost like a wake up call and she said, ‘I can do this’. She’s come on nicely since then.
“Her work was very good on Saturday. I said to Michael to keep her balanced as we want to see her hitting the line like she did in that trial.
“Wow, she might be a filly of the future.”
Vandyke trains Group 1 winner Gypsy Goddess so he knows a very good filly when he sees one. Like Gypsy Goddess, Vandyke believes Matriarch Rose will be better over a longer distance.
“I think she’ll get a trip. If you look at her she’s a big, raw, gangly filly.
“She was quite lost. She was running around. I mean if she didn’t win, we probably would put blinkers on her next start but we don’t want to break the winning formula.
“I’ll have a chat to Michael Cahill, he rode her well but it wasn’t easy for her.
“Once she really learns what she’s here to do, she’s going to win some nice races.”
Matriarch Rose has an exciting future ahead of her and it will be interesting to follow her progress.
Lewis Registers First Metropolitan Win
Apprentice jockey Yvette Lewis will remember today’s OXLEY GOLF CLUB BENCHMARK 65 Handicap.
The 3kg claiming hoop is indentured to Gold Coast trainer Adam Campton and has only been riding in Queensland for the past few months. She has been making the most of the rides she’s had recently, recording several wins.
Today she ticked off her first metropolitan win when she piloted the John Wallace-trained Cossie to a 1.8 length victory.
Unwanted in betting, Cossie exploded out of the gates to find the early lead. Note frontrunner Bobby Axelrod charged forward to claim the lead with Lewis allowing her mount to sit at his girth.
Bobby Axelrod dashed clear entering the straight however he got a stitch mid straight which was when Lewis pounced. Cossie took the lead and dashed clear to win easily.
The apprentice was over the moon to win at metropolitan level for the first time on a horse that she has built a good relationship with.
“I’ve had a few metropolitan rides and I’ve run a couple of placings but this is my first metropolitan win,” a jubilant Lewis said.
“It’s definitely good to get the win today.
“I get on so well with Cossie. She’s a beautiful mare.
“We’ve got a good strike rate, that’s two wins together now. I really like her, she’s probably one of my favourites now!”
The Chris Anderson-trained Royal Nicci was heavily backed and started a $1.60 favourite but dropped out badly in the straight. It was found post race that she was showing symptoms of myositis.
Another Ipswich Winner For Gollan
It may only be October, but six time Ipswich premiership winning trainer Tony Gollan looks set to add a seventh title.
Gollan kept his win count ticking over today when A Call From Heaven won the NUTURF BENCHMARK 68 Handicap.
The four-year-old mare won just two starts back over this course and distance and looked a strong chance to win again today despite the wide barrier.
“She’s always been quite a fragile filly but she’s shown a bit of ability but just struggled in her work,” Gollan said.
“She showed a bit early on when she won her maiden over 1350 metres at Doomben.
“This preparation I’ve been a bit concerned as she hasn’t wanted to step away. We tried something a bit different today, just kept trotting behind the barriers.
“She stepped away today a whole lot better to put herself in a winning position after they went a furlong.
“It was the winning move. It was a good win.
“I still think she’s quite an immature mare but she’ll benefit from a nice spring spell and we’ll see her in autumn.”
A Call From Heaven kept her undefeated record over the course and distance intact with Gollan revealing why the Divine Prophet mare enjoys racing at Ipswich so much.
“She loves a bit of cut in the ground,” Gollan said.
“I was always keen to come here even though she was drawn wide. I knew there would be a bit of give in the track.
“The track has presented quite well today.
“They're just getting off the inside a little bit but it’s fresh off a reno and they can get their toe into the ground and that’s what suits her.”
Thompson was praised for his ride on A Call From Heaven with some pundits rating it a ‘11 out of 10’ performance.
The typically modest young hoop underplayed his hand in the win.
“I just kept doing circles on her behind the gates, I nearly threw in a figure eight, but she was happy and came out really good,” Thompson said.
“We were able to get across before Avenue Of Stars and Jay Bellamy’s mount kicked on. From there we were able to get a really nice run.
“It was close late. I pulled her out before we straightened just because we had 55.5kg fourth run in that I thought she should be there and give them something to really chase.
“Obviously all the credit to Tony Gollan and the crew who had her spot on. It was another deserved city winner for them.”
The win was the second of the day for Thompson who won the opening race aboard Surreel for in-form trainer Jack Bruce.
Horses To Follow
Race 4 - Zavaboom resumed with a second placing behind All Stashed Up. The Tony Gollan four-year-old settled towards the back but finished off strongly, making up plenty of ground in the straight to narrow the gap to 1.3 lengths. It was a powerful finishing burst that suggests that he is in for a good preparation. Along with All Stashed Up, this race may provide a number of future winners going forward.
Race 5 - Matriarch Rose was highly impressive in breaking her maiden on debut. Trainer David Vandyke suggested she didn’t know what she was doing. When the penny drops she looks like a filly that could win Saturday races and possibly higher.
Race 7 - He’s The News looks close to a win. He ran well last start at Doomben and backed that up with another strong effort to finish third to A Call From Heaven today. In a similar grade race he can get the cash.
We will host our next race meeting next Wednesday, October 12. The Annual General Meeting will be held prior to the races which should see a large crowd on track.
By Craig Sheppard
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