WINNO'S WINNERS: IPSWICH CUP DAY

By Graham Potter | Thursday, June 15, 2023

IPSWICH this week – nine races. This is the big annual day for Ipswich featuring the Ipswich Cup and Eye Liner Stakes. The track rating is ‘Good’ and the rail is out 0.5 metres for the entire circuit.

Straight into the preview.

On, but wait. State of Origin 2 next week here in QLD. This time NSW will give QLD a flogging!

NB: As these selections were made prior to race-day, please check for any changes to track conditions and for any scratchings on the day.

Race 1

A race for the two-year-old runners to commence the program.

The Michael Nolan trained runner Upstart Legend (6) won last time out at Toowoomba when she led all the way. She has drawn ideally in barrier 1 – first out and first home I reckon! Cejay Graham will ride, and her 3-kilogram claim will be invaluable - $7 on offer looks great value.

Tony Gollan is fresh off a winning treble on Stradbroke day. He has two runners here. Deep Dawn (8) is a debutant who has been trialling well – Angela Jones will ride, while Omilana (10) resumes from a 24-week spell and has Kyle Wilson Taylor riding – hopefully KWT finishes in front of Angela so she can buy dinner! Has been placed in some recent trials – could run well fresh.

Tough race to get the massive day of racing started.

Selections:

6 – Upstart Legend
8 – Deep Dawn
10 – Omilana
3 – Defiant Spirit
Rough chance – (1) Golden Decade

Race 2

An open event here – No Metro Wins – always difficult to assess. Not a fan of the race.

Kelly Schweida has Sailors Secret (10) engaged. Has a solid record at the track – this sometimes is a good form guide – horses who have gone well here in the past seem to thrive here. Six starts here for 3 wins and 3 placings. Ben Thompson will ride.

Rejoiced (3) won last time out at Toowoomba and gets in well at the weights and with conditions of the race.

A serious roughie at $31 is To Love Somebody (12) from the Paul Nolan yard with Jaden Lloyd aboard. Is third up here and has two wins at the track. Nice odds – do not overlook.

Selections:

10 – Sailors Secret
3 – Rejoiced
12 – To Love Somebody
14 – Aqua Alta

Race 3

A race over 1666 metres.

I think the favourite Sunfall (7) will get beaten. Trained by Barry Lockwood and ridden by Jaden Lloyd he comes off a midweek win at Doomben. Big weight – first look at the track, first go at the mile and $2.50 – leave me out!

The Tony Gollan runner Kinetic (14) looks well placed. She won a midweek race at Eagle Farm – prior to that had won a race here when resuming over 1350 metres. Her last start in Saturday grade was good. I think that down in the weights, with Ben Thompson aboard, she wins this race at around $9.

Kelly Schweida has another chance in Petunia (11) with KWT to ride. She has solid form on this track – and also has solid third up form. She is another roughie at $14 and will add value into the exotics.

Selections:

14 – Kinetic
7 –Sunfall
11 – Petunia
1 – Mississippi Prince
Rough chance – (3) Sir Barnabus

Race 4

This race is over 2500 metres. Always a difficult distance to assess runners.

Tony Gollan’s Flensburg (4) has been racing in better company than this. Seems to go well here – Angela Jones to ride. The gelding looks well placed.

Take your pick for the rest of them – a tough affair.

Selections:

4 – Flensburg
9 – Hillcrest Avenue
1 – Readily Availabull
3 – I Am The Empire
Rough chances – (5) Master Marko

Race 5

The last leg of the Early Quaddie – a tough race as well over 1110 metres. Let’s hope that we are still alive!

I like the Adam Campton trained Deepour (3) who resumed over 1000 metres at Eagle Farm – that was much too short for him. He stormed home late – Jimmy Orman takes the ride here. I just wonder if he wins this race and trains on whether Campton may consider taking him to the Grafton Carnival for the 2023 Ramornie.

Orbisyn (5) is trained by David Vandyke. He resumed in the Listed Chief De Beers and looked like he needed the run. He did lead and tire late – he has a solid record on this track – drawn wide in barrier 11 may pose some troubles, but Taylor Marshall should be able to get him across and take up the running without too much pressure.

Robert Heathcote trains Extremist (2) who also led and tired last time out in the Helen Coughlan over 1200 metres. I just think that 1100 metres is her best distance – the in-form Damien Thornton will ride.

Zoukina (10, from the Stephen Lee yards at Ballina, comes north. She resumes after a 24-week spell. She always races well fresh, and her recent barrier trial suggests that she is forward enough to trouble these. Jake Bayliss (dirty QLDer) will ride her. Could be some value in your exotics at $21.

Selections:

3 – Deepour
5 – Orbisyn
2 – Extremist
10 – Zoukina
Rough chance – (6) Shamrock Lu

Race 6

First leg of the Quaddie – open field here over 1350 metres – the set weights make some of these runners appealing.

Fashion Legend (1) was just plain unlucky in the Fred Best (Group 3). Got caught wide – never on the track. Has had a three week freshen up and a tongue tie goes on here. Kyle Wilson Taylor rides for the Richard & Will Freedman team. I think he is a genuine contender in this race – nice odds as well at $6.

Chairman (7) is an interesting runner from Gollan Racing. He raced in a Listed race last time out. Forget the run. Belted at the start – knocked over in running and lost a plate in the running. Still put in a solid effort. He could run a bold race at $15 with Jimmy Orman in the saddle.

Plundering (4) is from the Annabel Neasham stables. Is fourth up in the preparation. He was run down late at Randwick last time out – he normally races on the speed and, drawn well, should be well placed throughout. Jag Guthmann-Chester will ride.

Selections:

1 – Fashion Legend
7 – Chairman
4 – Plundering
9 – Stroll

Race 7 THE IPSWICH CUP (Listed)

First leg of the Treble.

One of the feature races – over 2150 metres.

Chris Waller Racing looks like he can take out another feature Cup race after winning the Brisbane Cup last weekend.

Desert Icon (3) comes off a solid effort last time out at Randwick over 2400 metres. He is fifth up and comes back in distance – in saying that I think that the reduced distance makes him very appealing.

Rousseau (12) is the stable mate – he was an easing favourite last time out at Eagle Farm. He was ridden forward – I do not think that this suited him. Might be better ridden a little quieter by Jake Bayliss (did I already mention a very dirty QLDer?). Look for a super effort on this track.

Beribeck (4) is from the John O’Shea yards. He raced in the Lord Mayors Cup (Group 3) last time out. I think he is looking for this longer distance in his preparation, but I note that he hasn’t won a race in 92 weeks – Ryan Maloney will ride.

Irish Playboy (9) carried a massive weight in his last run at Eagle Farm over 1810 metres. They went hard and I think that he tired late under the 60 kilograms. He drops to the minimum with Mark Du Plessis riding for John Smerdon.

Zadig (15) from the Mark Currie yards in Toowoomba has been racing consistently – he may win this at huge odds.

Selections:

3 – Desert Icon
12 - Rousseau
4 – Beribeck
9 – Irish Playboy
Rough chance – (15) Zadig

Race 8 THE EYE LINER STAKES (Listed)

A Listed feature race over 1350 metres.

Ciaron Maher & David Eustace fresh off winning the JJ Atkins (Group 1) last weekend back up here at Ipswich looking for another feature win over the Carnival with Blaze A Trail (12) with Jake Bayliss (yes - he is still a horrible QLD supporter) in the saddle.

He is third up here and put in a solid performance behind Antino last time out carrying a huge weight. He drops in weight and gets over a suitable distance. He is drawn well in barrier 3 to get the run of the race.

Gravina (4) is a James Cummings Godolphin runner who performed well in the Group 2 Moreton Cup last time out over 1200 metres. I think that this is his ideal distance and will be given a solid run in transit by Ben Thompson. He was caught wide in that race and given some luck in running should be no further than 4 or 5 pairs back.

Holyfield (1) is trained by Annabel Neasham and is attempting to defend his 2022 win in this race. He has been out of favor in his past few starts. He has been racing in Group races – so you must keep that in mind. He has drawn exceptionally well in barrier 2 to jump and either lead or take a trail on the rail throughout. Jag Guthmann-Chester will ride him for the first time – despite the large weight I expect him to run a bold race.

Lady Of Honour (8) is from the Ben and JD Hayes yards. This will be her second up run in QLD. Look she doesn’t win out of turn – but this softer track and the conditions of the race would suggest she could run a huge race.

There has been solid support for Cepheus (2) since the markets opened – normally goes better over longer distances – but may sprint well fresh.

The Gollan Racing trained Love Sensation (19) is an emergency. She will need a lot of luck to make the field but, if she gets into this race, she will be a force and a genuine contender.

Selections:

12 – Blaze A Trail
4 – Gravina
1 – Holyfield
8 – Lady Of Honour
Rough chance – (19) Love Sensation & (2) Cepheus

Race 9 Gai Waterhouse Classic (Listed)

Another feature race, over 1200 metres, to finish off the program.

The Steven O’Dea & Matt Hoysted trained Better Get Set (2) is second up. When she resumed she drew wide and had no luck. To be fair she looked like she may have needed the run judging by the way she looked in the parade ring. She has a solid second up run history – plus, take note, she has had two starts at Ipswich for two wins. Ben Thompson will ride her.

Snapped (11) won a Group 3 race in South Australia last time out. I have some concerns that, although her runs have been spaced out in the preparation, she has been up for a while. Anthony & Sam Freedman have a habit of setting their runners nicely when they bring them to QLD – so she must be respected in this field. Damien Thornton will ride.

Tony Gollan has a few running in the race and they all have genuine chances. Love Sensation (17) is nominated in the Eye Liner – but is more likely to take her place in the field here – Angela Jones will ride her. She resumed over 1400 metres at the Sunshine Coast. She will be better for that run, and I have a sneaky suspicion that she will be better second up over the shorter distance. She has won a trial since.

Tilianam (5), who will be ridden by Kyle Wilson Taylor, has had an eight week freshen up. She comes to the track off a nice trial last week – the trial was soft – she was not knocked around. She has a very good first up or fresh record.

Sneaky Five (1) has Jimmy Orman aboard and is fourth up in the preparation. She has been racing consistently and will be competitive here.

Russian Conquest (15) is from the astute Snowden Racing team and guess who is riding – “Last Race Larry” Cassidy!

He will be looking to reinstate his nickname. She is only a three-year-old, however, has always shown some ability. She resumed in the Gold Coast Guineas (Group 3) at the Sunshine Coast six weeks ago. She really didn’t appreciate the muddling speed in the race. She has won a barrier trial since at Randwick. Second up record is solid. Drawn nicely here – a definite threat.

Selections:

2 – Better Get Set
15 – Russian Conquest
17 – Love Sensation
11 – Snapped
Rough chances – (5) Tilianam & (1) Sneaky Five
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Jockeys Challenge

Angela Jones, Kyle Wilson Taylor, Ben Thompson and Jimmy Orman all have a solid book of rides – looks like a tight finish between Ben and Angela for mine.

Early Quaddie (races 2 to 5)

3,10,12 / 7,11,14 / 1,4,9 / 2,3,5,10 - cost is $108 to $1.

Value Early Quaddie (races 2 to 5)

3,10 / 7,14 / 4,9 / 3,5 - cost is $16 to $1.

Quaddie (races 6 to 9)

1,4,7,9 / 3,4,9,12 / 1,4,12 / 2,11,15,17 - cost is $192 to $1

Value Quaddie (races 6 to 9)

1,7 / 3,12 / 4,12 / 2,15 - cost is $16 to $1.

Treble (races 7 to 9)

3,4,9,12 / 1,4,12 / 2,11,15,17 - cost is $48 to $1.

Value Treble (races 7 to 9)

3,12/4,12/2,15 - cost is $8 to $1

WINNO V FLEMO

The battle continues with WINNO and FLEMO.

State of Origin next week – it will be a drawn series – NSW to win the second game. Otherwise, I expect the wrath of the QLD supporters next weekend at the Tatts Tiara day!

Be sure to check the up to date and amended tips each Saturday morning on Facebook after any track changes and scratchings where I will post our selections and any late mail!

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