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Meeting In Review – Saturday 21 December 2024 New
Date: 23-Dec-2024
We hosted our final meeting before Christmas on Saturday where several participants got in early and opened their presents.
Jordan Grob could not have asked for a better gift than training his first winner.
The former jockey decided to try his hand at the training caper after struggling with his weight and obtaining riding opportunities.
His decision has been rewarded almost instantly with the Gold Coast conditioner tasting success on Saturday with Suspect who was just the third horse he’s put a saddle on.
The four-year-old gelding was heavily backed in the Ratings Band 0-58 Handicap and didn’t let his supporters or Grob down.
Wearing the club’s colours, Anthony Allen settled second before engaging in a two-horse war up the straight with Nails And Pride.
It took all of the 300m run home to get on top, but Suspect did, winning in a head bobbing finish.
Allen, who recently became a father, capped off the best week of his life with a double when he piloted the Tony Gollan-trained Kemi Zabi to victory in the final race of the day.
The son of Spirit Of Boom endured a tough three-wide and back run but despite that, he let down powerfully and stole victory from Action King in the final bound.
Kemi Zabi was Gollan’s 10th Ipswich winner of the season and extended his lead over Matt Dunn in the 2024/25 premiership to two.
Michael Cahill also helped himself to a riding double, but it could have been so much more.
The 2012/13 Ipswich Jockey premiership winner claimed his first win on Saturday aboard Fastconi.
The Nat McCall-trained gelding hadn’t won for nearly two years but turned back the clock in the Class 5 Handicap over 1200m.
After racing wide early, Cahill rolled forward to settle second before his mount fought bravely to win by a whisker.
The veteran hoop wasted no time adding a second win when he saved ground on the turn and then weaved a passage with the Chris Waller-trained Lady Nikster to win the 1350m Maiden Plate by a nose.
Cahill was unlucky not to ride a four-timer after his mounts Action King and Autora were beaten by the barest of margins.
Amazingly Autora finished fourth by a head in the Class 1 Handicap over 1690m which was won in a blanket finish by the Rodney Hay-trained Lonergy.
Gun apprentice Jace McMurray won his seventh Ipswich race of the season with Russian Pins and now is the outright leading claimer but also sits second overall in the Ipswich Jockey premiership.
Racing makes a quick return after Christmas on Friday the 27th of December.
By Craig Sheppard
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