Meeting In Review 6 May 2023

Date: 08-May-2023

Saturday racing came to Ipswich on the weekend with the club hosting an eight-race provincial meeting.

With a winning treble, there is no doubt that jockey Jag Guthmann-Chester was the day’s star performer.

Gold Coast Hoop Shines In Ipswich Sun

With this season's leading Ipswich jockeys Jimmy Orman and Ben Thompson riding at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, it gave other hoops a chance to shine.

None took advantage of this situation more than Jag Guthmann-Chester. The Gold Coast-based rider helped himself to a hattrick of wins. It could very well have been four if not for Birdonawing going down by a nose in the PROGRAMMED PROPERTY SERVICES BENCHMARK 62 Handicap.

Guthmann-Chester registered his first win on the day aboard the Annabel Neasham-trained Addriel in the second race of the day, the OPS SERVICES PARTY TEAM QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap.

The son of Harry Angel was heavily backed, starting as a $1.35 favourite after opening at $1.75. After a good getaway, Addriel drifted back to settle in the second last pair over the 1100m contest. With 600m to go, Guthmann-Chester jumped on the back of North Eli to get a beautiful cart into the race.

The gelding swept around the field and had hit the front as they entered the straight. Guthmann-Chester gave her one, two with the persuader and she exploded to dash clear and win by 4.5 lengths. Such was the dominance of the win, Guthmann-Chester was able to take a look over his shoulder and ease her down with 100m to go.

It was an impressive performance that justified the short quote and indicated that Addriel is a young horse to follow.

While Guthmann-Chester was on a red-hot favourite for his first win, his second came aboard a horse that was disliked intently by the market.

Chief Command drifted to $31 when the gates crashed back in the SWIFTS HOCKEY CLUB RATINGS BAND 0 - 55 Handicap. Guthmann-Chester settled midfield behind a solid tempo in the 1666m contest.

Guthmann-Chester fired his mount up at the Great Northern sign on the home turn. With a number of horses fanning wide, the seven-year-old gelding was able to save ground in close before charging through a gap. With race favourite Toba wobbling about in the straight, Chief Command was able to take advantage and sprinted strongly to run down the leader and claim a nose victory.

The David and Marcus Scanes-trained galloper has now won seven times in his 59-start career with three of those coming at Ipswich.

Guthmann-Chester's notched up his treble in the final race of the day, the TRIDAN ELECTRICAL SERVICES - EDDIES CUP Class 3 Plate when he partnered Beaux Rumble.

The Gillian Heinrich-trained four-year-old gelding looked one of the better bets on the card and was backed into a $1.60 favourite.

Beaux Rumble showed good gate speed but was forced to work to find the front in the 1200m sprint. Guthmann-Chester rated the son of Maurice well in front before letting him off the chain as they entered the straight. Beaux Rumble skipped clear by two lengths. However, the early work told late, and he started to shorten stride in the final 100m. Hard Reyva drove hard but the winning post came at the right time and Beaux Rumble was able to hold on for a nose win.

It was the first time Beaux Rumble had ventured to Ipswich but given the way the tight turning circuit suited his racing style; we may see him back again soon.

Guthmann-Chester doesn’t take too many rides at Ipswich but it’s obviously a track he has a great feel for. The jockey now has 6 wins for the season at a 23.1% winning strike-rate and has been a real punters pal delivering a massive 121.5% return on investment.

Big Win For Local Horse And Trainer

Twyford created quite an impression last November when bolting in by three-lengths to win his maiden over 1350m at Ipswich.

Trained locally for John Hubbard, the three-year-old gelding went on to compete well in Saturday class races.

However, there were concerns that he hadn’t come back the same horse this preparation when he finished last by 17.6 lengths first-up at the Sunshine Coast in early April.

A return to his home track on Saturday for the BISHOPP OUTDOOR ADVERTISING Class 1 Plate saw him quash those concerns and prove that he’s in for a great preparation.

Twyford had to contend with the outside gate in the field of 11 for the 1350m contest. He jumped well but got caught four deep early. Jockey Andrew Spinks pushed on and while it took 350m, the pair got to the front on their own.

Spinks was able to give him a mid-race breather but was challenged prior to straightening. That seemed to spur Twyford on and he booted clear as they set sail for the judge. He pulled out plenty to win by a length.

The win saw him remain undefeated in two starts over the course and distance.

It’s always good to see our local trainers winning, especially when they only have a small team like Hubbard. It was Hubbard’s second win of the season on his home track and took him to second on the local trainer’s premiership.

Kiwi Visitor Takes The Spoils

The New Zealand training partnership of Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have been bringing horses to Queensland for the Winter Carnival for several years.

While stable stars Waitak and Dragon Leap will look to claim Group 1 glory during the Carnival, the training duo brought up-and-coming stayer Cours Vite across the ditch as well.

The three-year-old gelding had shown some promise back home and the training duo thought why not bring him along as well and give him a crack.

Cours Vite appeared to not handle the tighter Ipswich track two weeks ago when finishing fourth over 1700m. That certainly wasn’t the case when he backed up in Saturday’s CONNELLS RENOS Maiden Handicap.

Ipswich-born jockey Jake Bayliss was in the saddle and did a super job to find a spot one off the rail after jumping from barrier 11. With the field packing up on the point of the turn, Bayliss got his mount to the outside.

As was the case two weeks ago, he was forced extremely wide as they straightened. However, this time he shanghaied off the turn and sprinted strongly to the line. Frankel Moon shortened the margin late but the damage had been done and the kiwi registered his first win.

Whether he progresses to some races on Carnival days remains to be seen, but there is no doubting that Cours Vite has the potential to be a good stayer. We’d love to see him back at Ipswich.

By Craig Sheppard

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