RED WAVE SCORES A THRILLING IPSWICH CUP WIN

By Graham Potter | Saturday, June 22, 2024

This is what racing is all about.

Maybe that is an overused phrase, but Red Wave’s brave win in the Listed Ipswich Cup and the joyous scenes that followed were shining examples of the draw that racing has ... a magnificent animal racing at its capacity for connections that truly love the horse, all wrapped in a feelgood family success story ... it was really good to watch.

The Tony and Maddysen Sears trained Red Wave came into the Cup as a $17 chance. The son of Red Dazzler had not tasted success for fifteen months and sixteen runs but, for all that, the five-year-old had an honesty level to his game ... so often in the placings or thereabouts ... that always made him difficult to overlook and, in spite of turning in an unplaced run that was so out of character in his last start leading into his Cup assignment, the stable was confident enough about his chances on the big day.

With Robbie Dolan, who had ridden Red Wave in eight successive races, moving to the Annable Neasham trained $7.50 chance Regal Lion (last year’s Ipswich Cup winner) Angela Jones got the leg-up on Red Wave this time, a booking which had a very positive vibe to it as Jones had partnered Steady Ready to victory in the Lightning Stakes on June 8, the last time she had ridden for the stable ... and Jones was to play a big part in the win.

Right from the very first stride in the race, Jones ensured that Red Wave would make every use of the advantage of the number one barrier. She jumped her horse into a clear lead at the break, went back to third, hugging the rail, as the speed went around her going past the post for the first time and settled Red Wave beautifully in a position which ensured he would get the run of the race.

Tracking just two lengths off the leader ... the Waterhouse/Bott trained Zoumon ($10) ... Red Wave held that position at a comfortably gallop down the back stretch and into the start of the sweep to the home turn.

Even when the runs starting to come from behind, with horses bunching up and spreading out across the track, Jones held her nerve, steadfastly maintaining the rail run ... saving ground as long as she could.

In spite of all the action that was going on to her outside, the inside run brought Red Wave into the home straight in second place. Zoumon was still in front at that stage and it was only when Red Wave ran up close to the back of the long-time leader that Jones angled Red Wave marginally out across Zoumon’s heels to gain clear running.

Zoumon had a kick though ... he still led by just under two lengths coming through the 200m ... but running Zoumon down was not Red Wave’s only challenge. London Banker, another $17 chance, was now producing a strong finishing effort down the centre of the track.

As Red Wave and London Banker got to Zoumon with 100m left to run, it looked as if London Banker had the momentum on his side but, although headed for a couple of strides, Jones got Red Wave to rally and the last 100m became a two horse battle in which Red Wave kept punching hard to the line in such committed fashion that he edged away in the last couple of strides to keep the game London Banker back in second place.

By any standards, it was an exceptional ride by Angela Jones on a horse that clearly had been prepared to the minute by the Sears camp.

The emotions that flowed when Red wave passed the post (see separate story) rubber-stamped what was a really thrilling edition of the 2024 Ipswich Cup.

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