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Meeting In Review – Wednesday 18 December 2024 New
Date: 19-Dec-2024
A violent thunderstorm following the first race and around 30mm of rain throughout the day may have put a damper on Wednesday’s meeting, but it wasn’t enough to stop us from miraculously completing all eight races.
Trainer Kelly Schweida was one person that would have been grateful that the Ipswich track handled the rain beautifully given he claimed a winning treble.
The Eagle Farm conditioner unearthed a talented youngster in the opening race of the day, the QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 1100m.
Grafterburners was having his second start on Wednesday following an unlucky debut at the Gold Coast where he finished a close third.
The son of Graff settled at the back of the field and capitalised on a solid speed to storm home and win impressively by two lengths.
With Saturday prize money on offer, the win put the colt in contention for a spot in January’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
The second of Schweida’s wins came in the 1100m Maiden Handicap with Autumngirl.
Punters believed she The Autumn Sun filly was a good thing backing her into $1.80 and so it turned out.
Apprentice Jace McMurray gave her plenty of time to balance up before presenting her upon entering the straight.
The way she let down to win by 2.1 lengths suggested that there’s more wins in store for the promising filly.
Schweida rounded out his treble with Ipswich specialist Roll Up in the Benchmark 75 Handicap over 1200m.
Despite racing three-wide the trip, the son of Zoustar dug deep late under the urging of Cejay Graham to snatch victory by the barest of margins.
The win took Roll Up’s record to five wins from seven starts at Ipswich.
Graham celebrated a riding double after partnering Grafterburners in the opening race.
Ran Na Lady is a short course maestro and once again demonstrated her speed in the Class 3 Handicap over 800m.
The Pat Webster-trained mare jumped straight to the front under Les ‘Bubba’ Tilley and kept going to fend off the late challenge of the Chris & Corey Munce-trained stable newcomer Secret Revolution.
While the Munce stable would have been disappointed with missing the ‘W’ by a neck, they did get to enjoy success later in the day with Poseidon Ruler.
The seven-year-old gelding jumped as a $2.60 favourite and would have given his backers some nervous moments when he found himself three-deep and back before being hard ridden by Justin Huxtable 600m from home.
However, all doubt was quickly put to bed in the straight with Poseidon Ruler reveling in the conditions and dashing clear to win comfortably by 3.2 lengths.
33x G1 winning jockey Michael Rodd gave a clear indication that he still has all the skills when he put on a clinic to win the Class 2 Handicap over 1666m with Punjabi Landing.
Rodd settled just behind the two leaders before scooting around them at the 800m to take up the running and put some speed into the race.
While the final margin narrowed to 1.25 lengths, with Rodd’s initiative proving to be a winning move.
It seems hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since the champion jockey was crowned lpswich’s leading rider.
Local lad Jake Bayliss got his name on the scoresheet when he successfully guided the Rob Heathcote-trained Bolshevic Road to the winner’s stall in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Plate.
The Russian Revolution gelding looked like he was fired out of a cannon over the final furlong as he flew by his rivals to win by 1.4 lengths.
Talented young hoop McMurray claimed a share of the 2024/25 Ipswich Apprentice Jockey premiership lead when he piloted Star Act to victory in the final event of the day and a riding double.
The former New South Wales galloper looked well placed in the Class 1 Plate and so it turned out with the Liam Birchley-trained mare charging home down the outside to win by just under a length.
We’re on the quick back-up with racing returning to Ipswich this Saturday the 21st of December for our last meeting before Christmas.
By Craig Sheppard
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