Locals were the loudest at season opener New

Date: 11-Aug-2025

Ipswich trainer Jesse Townsend and his big team of supporters made the loudest noise last Friday as his six-year-old gelding Papal Wars broke his Maiden status under apprentice Corey Sutherland.

Townsend was confident the gelding was ready to break through and expressed some surprise at the generous odds ($16) served up by odds-makers before the win.

Papal Wars was the first of three successive winners at double figure odds on the card. Next up, Miss Linny landed the prize for trainer Brian Gentle as a $19 chance, before Damien Thornton guided In Great Spirit home for the Chris Anderson stable at odds of $12.

Two races later and the Scott Morrissey trained Toolatemate ($16) made it four big priced winners on the card when taking out the Benchmark 62 Handicap under Jag Guthmann-Chester.

It was the first leg of a winning double for Guthmann-Chester, who also won the final event on Shelstein for Annabel and Rob Archibald.

Favourite backers did have success in the middle of the card, when the Kris Lees-Andrew Mallyon combination landed Detain ($2.70) a winner.

The opening event was a special one for many Ipswich racegoers on Friday. The Ipswich Turf Club was proud to run the Vale ITC Member Jerry Buckley Handicap, welcoming Jerry’s family to the course after his recent sudden passing.

Jerry hardly missed an Ipswich meeting, being a familiar face in the Member’s area with his big group of friends each week. Those friends joined Jerry’s family in the mounting yard following the running of the race, which was taken out by Flying Bat ($1.85 fav), for trainer Allan Chau and jockey Cobi Vitler.

Jerry will be very much missed at Ipswich and the club was pleased to hist his family and let them witness the race run in his honour on Friday.

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