Meeting In Review 9 November 2022

Date: 11-Nov-2022

Ipswich was the focus of Queensland racing on Wednesday as the club hosted an eight-race metropolitan card. Near perfect conditions blessed the meeting with the track upgraded to a Good 4 following the running of the opening race.

Several winning horses on the day demonstrated qualities to suggest that they can go on to higher honours.

Impressive Debut For Gollan Filly

Another race meeting, another impressive debut by a Tony Gollan-trained horse.

Queensland’s leading trainer unveiled three-year-old filly Yalla in today’s KINGSLEY LAWSON LAWYERS Maiden Plate over 1100m.

Yalla, a $7 chance, jumped well from an outside gate but couldn’t go early with her speedier rivals drawn to her inside. Talented apprentice jockey Angela Jones elected to remove herself from an early speed battle and settle a couple of lengths off leader Cassimir.

However, despite taking a sit, she found herself trapped three-deep. Yalla swung the deepest as they straightened for home. Cassimir looked home and hosed mid-straight but nobody told Yalla that. The daughter of Whittington let down powerfully to run down Cassimir and win well by half a length.

Yalla was excited ahead of her debut race and gave her strapper a tough time in the parade. However, by the time she got to the starting gates she knew what she was there to do.

“She’s a little toey, hot thing but she’s so professional at the same time, “ Jones said.

“She’s shown that from the very start.

“She’s such a little angel in the gates and she knows what she’s doing.

“She pinged out. She went for a couple hundred metres but just couldn’t muster like the others.

“We just had to take a sit. We probably did more work than the others but I couldn’t keep driving her to the front as she just wasn’t going to get there.

“So we had to take our medicine and be wide but in the end she let down super.

“I didn’t quite think she had it in her but once I gave her one around the bum she really fired.”

The final furlong that Yalla produced gobsmacked many that watched the race including Jones.

“It was extraordinary especially from such a petite filly having her very first start,” Jones said.

“It was really good to see.”

There is no doubt it is all very new to Yalla with the young filly forcing Jones to dismount prior to leaving the track for the winners stall.

However, she has plenty of improvement to come and there is a sense of specialness about her that should see her in town in no time.

Aircraftman Delivers On Promise

The Chris Meagher-trained Aircraftman has looked like a horse with considerable talent throughout his career.

Particularly, since joining Meagher’s Eagle Farm stable midway through this year. However, for a number of reasons, he was still an 11 start maiden heading into Wednesday’s SIRROMET Maiden Plate.

He was narrowly beaten at Doomben first-up before being scratched at the Ipswich gates as a hot favourite. Last start he again had excuses when third at Eagle Farm.

Once again, he played up behind the gates on Wednesday. However, that wouldn’t prevent him from succeeding at start twelve.

The striking son of Starcraft was forced to work early from the outside gate in the field of ten. Jockey Michael Cahill could manage no better than to settle three-deep midfield. He worked forward four-wide to pair off with race favourite Schmoozer as they entered the straight. Despite doing plenty of work, Aircraftman pulled out plenty at the end of the 1350 metres contest to pull away late for a half-length win.

Cahill revealed the extent of Aircraftman’s barrier antics. The 2012-13 Ipswich premiership winning jockey also described why there was plenty of merit in the victory.

“He got his leg up in the air again,” Cahill said.

“He’s very good at it but fortunately it was only for a split second.

“We weren’t sure where we were going to get in running as it didn’t map very well for us.

“I had to cover ground but it probably wasn’t the end of the world for a big horse like him.

“He got held in behind runners the other day and dictated to at Eagle Farm but at least today (Wednesday) he could stride when he wanted to.

“He got on one rein a bit coming to the turn. Ipswich is probably a bit tight for him but once he balanced up in the straight he was too good.”

There was a sense of relief following the race from Meagher to finally see his four-year-old deliver on his promise.

“That was good to see him do that today,” Meagher said.

“I knew Mick would have to ride him a bit ugly for him to do that and obviously backing up eight days has done him the world of good fitness wise.

“I wasn’t really confident in the run but I had said to Mick to ride him how you find him and that it would look ugly most of the race.

“He’s a big striding animal so you can’t just stop and start on him. Once you get him mobile just keep him going.

“It’s great to get a winner for Mr Fudge. He’s been a great supporter of the team for a long time.

“It was a really nice win today.”

With his first win out of the way, Aircraftman looks like he could add more wins to his resume quickly. Meagher would like for that to happen.

“He’s had twelve starts but hopefully the penny has started to drop now and he can race a bit more truly,” Meagher said.

“He’s a big unit and cops plenty of work but he’s a big, sound, quiet animal apart from his little antics in the gates.

“Today’s effort was great.”

Sibylla’s Maiden Success

Punters got off to a great start at Wednesday’s Ipswich meeting courtesy of the Chris Waller-trained Sibylla.

The three-year-old filly only recently relocated to Waller’s Gold Coast stable. The move has quickly paid off with Sibylla winning at just her second start in Queensland in Wednesday’s FOLLOW @IPSWICHTURFCLUB QTIS Three-Years-Old Maiden Plate.

Sibylla jumped fairly in the 1350 metre contest which allowed top jockey Jimmy Orman to midfield but only a few lengths off the lead. As they turned for home, Orman allowed his mount to improve his position. It took a long time for Sibylla to wind up but she eventually proved too powerful, winning by half a length.

Waller’s Gold Coast Foreperson Brett Killion was pleased that the Star Thoroughbred-owned daughter of Divine Prophet broke through at start number six but indicated that there was more to come from the filly.

“Her first-up run at Eagle Farm was pretty sound,” Killion said.

“She made a long run and probably just peaked but she got up to a better distance today (Wednesday).

“It took a long time for her to hit top gear so that indicates that she wants a little further still.

“She did get on the toe a bit in the yard but she didn’t sweat up that much so I wasn’t too concerned.

“She’s still definitely learning what it’s all about.

“I was worried she might end up three back the pegs but the way it panned out early, James was just able to stay one off.

“That got her the win.”

While her winning time wasn’t fantastic, Sibylla gave the indication that she would be better over a mile and that more wins would come.

Writrose Remains Undefeated In Queensland

We often see southern horses that are a rung below where they have to be down there move to Queensland and succeed.

The Annabel Neasham-trained Writrose is another example of this. In five starts in New South Wales she managed to place once.

The three-year-old won her second start in Queensland on Wednesday to remain undefeated.

Jag Guthmann-Chester made full use of the inside gate to drive forward and lead THE BARN FAMILY RESTAURANT Class 1 Handicap field. The daughter of Written Tycoon didn’t have things her own way with Frozen Prince pestering her in front. Guthmann-Chester took a clear lead on the turn before booting clear at the top of the straight. She looked in another race to her rivals as she raced away for a 2.5 length win.

The victory made the trip from the Gold Coast to Ipswich worthwhile for Guthmann-Chester. It was the hoop’s only ride on the day.

Writrose looks a very promising filly having won both her Queensland races with ease. There looks to be plenty of upside and it should come as no surprise if she works through her grades quickly.

Horses To Follow

Race 1 - Paienbara: While all honours went to winner Sibylla, Paienbara caught the eye finishing strongly. In a slowly run race, Paienbara settled at the tail of the field before really letting down in the final furlong to get within half a length of the winner and finish second. A bigger track like the Sunshine Coast should see this guy get his first win.

Race 3 - Yalla: This was a highly impressive debut by the Tony Gollan-trained filly. She still has a lot to learn and endured a tough run but the way she charged to the line in the closing stages suggests she’s of above average ability.

Race 7 - Writrose: The Annabel Neasham-trained filly has really settled in well at their Eagle Farm stable. She won at the Gold Coast by 4.5 lengths to break her maiden before putting away a Class 1 field Wednesday at Ipswich easily. She races on speed and that racing style delivers results in Queensland.

Next Ipswich Turf Club Meeting

We host our next race meeting on Friday 18 November. It’s our preferred time slot so get along and enjoy a great day’s racing.

By Craig Sheppard

Back to list