Ipswich Preview – Friday 19 July 2024

Date: 19-Jul-2024

Eight races are scheduled to be run and won this Friday at the club’s penultimate race meeting for the 2023/24.

Racing will be run under a sunny sky with the track rated a Good 4 and the rail out 8m the entire course.

We’ve taken a close look at the form and provided our top selections.

Race 1 - 12:17PM GREAT NORTHERN QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (800 METRES)

1 Shows A Sign

Toowoomba galloper Shows A Sign relished the heavy conditions on Caloundra Cup Day last start to win an Open two-year-old race over 1000m by just under a length.

The son of Capitalist returns to Ipswich for the first time since he showed a clean set of hooves to bolt in by 4.3 lengths over this distance.

He’ll strip fitter third-up and while he has plenty of weight to carry, he is clearly the best performed horse in the race.

Unfortunately, that means the bookies haven’t missed him and have basically made it impossible to back him so if you’re feeling adventurous, you could try an exacta with the Lawrie Mayfield-Smith debutante She Ours.

Selections: 1-8-3-6

Race 2 - 12:52PM THE SHED COMPANY IPSWICH Maiden Plate (800 METRES)

9 Ran Na Lady

There’s limited form in this race which makes finding the winner a difficult process.

Ran Na Lady did very little on debut at Esk in March and was sent for a break.

The Pat Webster-trained filly recently returned to racing and produced an improved effort to finish a length second over this distance at Kilcoy.

She just needs to repeat that performance to be competitive here.

Selections: 9-10-4-2

Race 3 - 1:27PM RQ NAIDOC CELEBRATION RACE BENCHMARK 65 Handicap (800 METRES)

3 Island Tide

Corey and Kylie Geran have placed this mare brilliantly since she joined the stable four starts ago and this looks another case of that.

The daughter of All Too Hard has won three of those four races, all over this distance including last start when bolting in by 4.5 lengths at Kilcoy.

The start prior to that, she bolted in by 3.5 lengths over 860m at Gatton.

Apprentice Landan Sykes has been aboard in each of those wins and his 3kg claim comes in handy.

From the inside gate, she should be able to find the front and be hard to run down.

Selections: 3-8-10-6

Race 4 - 2:04PM VINCE INSURANCE Maiden Handicap (1700 METRES)

1 Ain’t Nobody

Ain’t Nobody gives the indication that he will enjoy the rise to 1700m.

The Annabel Neasham-trained son of More Than Ready settled back over 1400m at Eagle Farm last start before working home well in the final furlong to finish 4.1 lengths behind Meat Pie Artie.

He’ll strip fitter third-up and he should enjoy a dry surface after racing on a heavy track.

Jag Guthmann-Chester can give him an economical run from the inside gate.

Selections: 1-3-18-10

Race 5 - 2:42PM BARRIER REEF POOLS BENCHMARK 65 Handicap (1700 METRES)

7 Googaz

Googaz resumed over 1400m at Beaudesert with a strong effort to finish third.

The Olivia Cairns-trained gelding fought gamely despite racing three wide the trip to finish 2.6 lengths behind Atomic Selfie.

He’ll strip fitter second-up and won his second run back last preparation over a similar distance at Beaudesert.

Top jockey Ryan Maloney is a key booking.

Selections: 7-2-1-10

Race 6 - 3:17PM IMPERIAL RACING RATINGS BAND 0 - 58 Handicap (1100 METRES)

3 Laser Beam

Laser Beam joined the Marcus Wilson stable last preparation and raced in consistent form, winning once and placing three times from six starts.

He resumes here without a public trial but no doubt Wilson will have him tuned up for a bold showing.

The Deep Field gelding ran well in his only previous start over this course and distance, leading before putting up a brave fight to go down by a nose with third a further two lengths away.

He draws nicely in barrier 2, which should see Jimmy Orman give him every chance.

Selections: 3-5-2-6

Race 7 - 3:57PM TAB QTIS Three-Year-Old BENCHMARK 58 Handicap (1350 METRES)

4 Malarina

Malarina found the line strongly to finish a neck third over 1200m at the Sunshine Coast first-up before returning to that track second-up where she worked home well to finish second by a length over 1400m with five lengths back to third.

Last start the Annabel Neasham-trained filly was forced to work early from a wide gate but fought on well to finish 1.5 lengths third over 1350m at Doomben.

She once again draws wide but it’s only a field of 12 and Jag Guthmann-Chester should be able to find a spot with a decent run from the 1350m chute.

She’s never been out of the top three in her eight starts and looks well placed for that to continue.

Selections: 4-8-1-16

Race 8 - 4:34PM GORDON'S GIN Class 2 Handicap (1350 METRES)

9 Admonish

Admonish started his career in flying fashion with back-to-back wins at Ipswich.

The Chris Waller-trained mare then went to Sydney and she’s run okay but hasn’t set the world on fire.

She returns to Queensland looking to turn her fortunes around against easier opponents which has proven to be a successful formula for Waller.

She has a trick barrier to deal with but gets champion jockey Michael in the saddle.

Selections: 9-7-2-1

Best Bets

Race 3 – Island Tide (3)