Meeting In Review 14 July 2022

Date: 15-Jul-2022

A beautiful winter day greeted participants at Ipswich for Thursday’s nine-race programme. It was a pleasant change after rain prevented last Wednesday’s midweek meeting from going ahead.

While racing was conducted under clear blue skies, following rain on Tuesday, the racing surface was rated a Soft 7.

Bruce Enjoys First Visit To Ipswich

Deagon trainer Jack Bruce is a newcomer to the South-East Queensland training ranks but he’s quickly starting to make waves.

While he has spent many years in the industry learning from the likes of Ciaron Maher, Chris Waller and Bjorn Baker, Bruce only trained his first runner in his own right in May this year.

Fresh off his first metropolitan winner on Wednesday, Bruce brought Cherrypick to Ipswich to compete in the Kingsley Lawson Lawyers Class 2 Plate.

Cherrypick was just the ninth runner to race under Bruce and also the first horse he has brought to Ipswich. Given the way the three-year-old filly won, the young trainer will no doubt be back.

The daughter of Lionhearted brought solid metropolitan Victorian form and two very good trials to Thursday’s 1200m assignment. Despite that, she drifted in the market to start at $3.90 on the QOP.

Jockey Ben Thompson, who recently returned from his honeymoon with wife Steph Thornton, rode Cherrypick like the best horse in the race. The hoop drove forward to lead before booting clear in the straight to win by a length.

Cherrypick looks a perfect horse to go through the grades in Queensland and might even give the Summer Carnival shake later in the year.

The win was Bruce’s third and no doubt there will be many more to come from this up-and-coming trainer.

We look forward to Jack bringing more of his horses to Ipswich.

Welcome Back Michael Cahill

Thursday’s meeting saw the return of veteran jockey Michael Cahil to Ipswich for the first time since November 19, 2021.

Cahill suffered a horrific fall on November 28 last year that saw him fracture his C4 vertebrae and also his left shoulder blade. The respected hoop only returned to the saddle last Saturday after seven months of rehabilitating.

It hasn’t taken long for Cahill to fall back into his old winning habits with wins at Doomben and the Sunshine Coast this past week.

Cahill registered another winner today (Thursday) aboard the Melissa Leitch-trained Shagonarock.

The three-year-old filly had her first race start in the Great Northern Fillies and Mares Maiden Plate. After a tardy getaway, Cahill settled the daughter of Awesome Rock second last. Shagonarock had a lot of work to do entering the straight but Cahill weaved a passage before the filly let down powerfully to win well by 1.8 lengths.

Shagonarock landed some good bets being backed into $12 from an opening quote of $20.

Cahill is a former Ipswich Turf Club premiership-winning jockey, claiming the 2012/13 title.

Cornish Closing In On Apprentice Title

Talented apprentice Jasmine Cornish moved a step closer to claiming the 2021/22 Ipswich Apprentice Jockey premiership with her win aboard Commandeering.

Heading into Thursday’s meeting, Cornish held a three win lead over Angela Jones. Such is the great season at Ipswich Cornish is having, she also sits third in the overall jockey premiership.

Seven-year-old Commandeering was having his first start since January when he lined up in the Club Mount Lewis Benchmark 70 Handicap over 800m.

The 2kg claiming apprentice made full use of the inside gate to drive forward on the Ben Hull-trained gedling. Horses really run for Cornish and Commandeering was no exception. He short course speedster pulled out plenty to fend off the challenge of Hauraki Gulf and win by just under a length.

The win took Cornish to 17 Ipswich wins for the season and four clear of Jones.

With just two meetings to go this season, Cornish is in the box seat to be crowned Ipswich’s leading apprentice.

Team Edmonds Great Ipswich Form Continues

Edmonds Racing enjoyed a hattrick of wins at the last Ipswich meeting on June 30.

The father and son training partnership returned to the Bundamba circuit on Thursday with two runners in the Sirromet QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate looking to continue their rich vein of form.

Cripps Tonite and Louisiana Star represented the stable and did it well.

Under Noel ‘King’ Callow, Cripps Tonite flew out of the gates to lead the 1200m race. The well supported son of Spirit Of Boom sprinted strongly in the straight to win by two-lengths. Louisiana Star worked home well for fourth.

The breakthrough win came at start number two for Cripps Tonite and delivered him the Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association award for QTIS win of the day.

Thursday’s win propelled Toby and Trent Edmonds to third on the Ipswich Trainers premiership with 12 wins. They are just two behind Kelly Schweida.

Money Spot On With Most Dazzling

The second race on Thursday, the TAB Venue Mode QTIS Three-Year-Old Benchmark 65 Handicap, saw punters take part in a big betting move.

The Tony and Maddy Sears-trained Most Dazzled came in for a mountain of support that saw the son of Red Dazzler crunched in from an opening quote of $3.80 to a starting price of $2.35.

Those that loaded up on Most Dazzling had no fears in the run. Gun hoop Jimmy Orman settled third the fence behind what was a moderate speed. Orman peeled off the leaders’ backs entering straight before his mount let down powerfully to win by 1.3 lengths.

As they crossed the line, racecaller Jarrod Wessel proclaimed ‘the bets have come off!’. Those that backed Most Dazzling and won can thank Orman for a peach of a ride.

The win took Orman to 21 victories this season and within one win of Sam Collett on the Ipswich Jockey premiership. Orman is in the driver’s seat in the chase for the title given Collett will not add to her tally given she will miss the final two meetings of the season.

While punters were on the money with Most Dazzling, they couldn’t have been further off the mark with Afsoon in the Schweppes Colts, Geldings and Entires Maiden Plate and Tabard in The Barn Family Restaurant Benchmark 65 Handicap.

Despite sitting deep in the run after drawing the outside gate, Afsoon pulled out plenty under the riding of Micheal Hellyer to salute at $17. Later in the day Tabard destroyed most people’s quaddies when he stormed home from the back for apprentice Emma MacPherson at the princely price of $31 the win.

Horses To Follow

Race 9 - Cherrypick: As previously stated, this was an excellent first-up appearance in Queensland. She worked in front and pulled out plenty to win. She’ll take improvement from the run and work through her grades. She has the perfect racing style for Queensland.

Race 9 - Nic Me Some: While there is no denying that Cherrypick was excellent in winning this race and will go on to win more races, the eye catching run was from third placegetter Nic Me Some. Jockey Jimmy Orman settled sixth the fence about five lengths off the lead. Entering the straight, Orman had a lapfull of horse under him but just couldn’t get clear. That remained the case for the length of the straight. Such was the enormity of the run, he still managed to poke through late to finish third by 1.2 lengths.

Our next meeting will take place next Wednesday where we will host a metropolitan card.

By Craig Sheppard

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