Meeting In Review – Friday 19 July 2024

Date: 22-Jul-2024

Friday’s meeting was a tough day for punters with all but one favourite getting rolled and half the winners on the card paying double figure dividends.

It didn’t take long to realise that it was going to be a tough day when raging favourite Shows A Sign was upset in the opening race.

As a result of the Pat Webster-trained gelding impressively winning on Caloundra Cup Day, the market rated him a $1.18 chance to win the Great Northern QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 800m.

Unfortunately, he failed to raise a yelp after a tardy start and it was She Ours who claimed the plaudits.

The Lawrie Mayfield-Smith-trained daughter of Merchant Navy showed good early speed to cross from the outside gate to lead comfortably for Adin Thompson.

Thompson gave her one, two with the shillelagh at the top of the straight and away she went, dashing clear to easily win by 4.4 lengths.

It was the filly’s first start, so she looks to be one to follow.

While the Webster and Les ‘Bubba’ Tilley combination missed out in the first race with the favourite, they found themselves in the winner’s stall in the very next race with Ran Na Lady.

The three-year-old filly flew out of the gates in the 800m maiden to lead.

Little separated Ran Na Lady and Hot Torque Invegas in the market with the pair dueling for favouritism and that continued on the track with a fierce battle taking place in the concluding stages.

Under the strong urging from Tilley, Ran Na Lady became the only favourite to salute on the day.

Making the trip to Ipswich for our penultimate 2023/24 meeting proved to be a worthwhile experience for jockey Justin Huxtable.

The talented hoop is riding in great form at present and that was certainly the case on Friday with him winning both his rides.

Huxtable teamed up with his former boss Chris Munce’s horse King Tarik in the TAB QTIS Three-Year-Old Benchmark 58 Handicap.

Jumping from barrier nine in the field of 12, it looked like the Encryption gelding was going to be caught extremely wide in the run before a piece of Huxtable brilliance saw him slot in one off the fence in fourth.

With momentum on his side, ‘Hux’ entered the straight three-wide outside the lead before letting down powerfully to win by the barest of margins.

The ten out of ten ride by Huxtable was what proved the difference between winning and losing.

Huxtable’s exploits in the saddle were on display in the final race of the day when he piloted Crazy Brave to victory.

The Annabel Neasham-trained son of Zoustar drew the inside gate and Huxtable used it to his advantage, driving forward to settle in the box seat for the 1350m contest.

A split came entering the straight and Huxtable didn’t have to be asked twice to take, charging through to join the lead.

Inca Trail provided a massive fight but there is no stronger jockey late in a race than Huxtable and he was able to lift his mount over the line for a nose win.

Crazy Brave’s win took Neasham to second on this year’s Ipswich Trainers premiership behind tearaway leader Tony Gollan.

The Thornton brothers, Boris and Damien, each won a race at Friday’s meeting.

Boris may not get the opportunities he deserves but he capitalises on those that he does receive and that was the case with Pintura Rosa.

The talented jockey produced a peach of a ride on the Brian Smith-trained four-year-old in the Vince Insurance Maiden Handicap.

Thornton snagged his mount to the back of the field from the outside barrier in the 1700m race.

He didn’t go around a horse as he saved ground on the turn before the mare charged home along the fence to win by a neck.

Damien, who is currently third in the Ipswich Jockey premiership, adopted similar tactics to his brother aboard Thief By Night.

The Group 1 winning jockey stuck to the inside rounding the home turn, but things looked grim when he appeared to be pocketed.

However, Thornton was able to get clear air and the Rod Hilton-trained gelding let down powerfully to get up in the final stride.

Other winners on the day included Pianist and Huracanevo who both sprouted wings to come from near the back to get the first-place prize money.

Heading into our final meeting of the season this Wednesday, the trainer and jockey premierships look wrapped up.

Tony Gollan holds an 11-win lead in his chase for his eighth Ipswich Trainers premiership.

It would take a miracle for someone to stop Jimmy Orman winning back-to-back Ipswich Jockey premierships.

Meanwhile Emily Lang leads the apprentice title race and Trevor Lambourn holds a one win advantage as he looks to win back-to-back Local Trainer premierships.

By Craig Sheppard

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