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Meeting In Review – Monday 19 August 2024
Date: 20-Aug-2024
Following two false starts due to inclement weather, we were finally able to host a meeting on Monday where apprentice jockeys were at the fore, landing six of the eight races.
Last season’s leading Ipswich apprentice Emily Lang began winning day for the young hoops in the opening event when she piloted Power Ace to victory for her boss Tony Gollan.
The daughter of So You Think was well supported, jumping as a $2.35 favourite and for the most part gave her backers a comfortable watch.
Power Ace went straight to the front and looked like she was going to win the 1350m contest by three lengths, but she tired late and bumped into the running rail to finish 1.23 lengths ahead of second with a massive seven lengths back to third.
19-year-old equine pilot Bailey Wheeler has been riding in tremendous form lately and that continued Monday when he helped himself to another winning double.
The talented apprentice scored the first of his wins in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 800m with Maguro.
The Scott Morrisey-trained gelding upset his more respected stablemate Campai when he stormed down the outside to win by a length.
Wheeler and Morrisey teamed up for another victory in the Band 0-58 Handicap with Eastown.
Following a quick getaway from the 1666m starting chute, Wheeler was able to settle in the box seat and give his mount a beautiful run in transit.
It got willing late with three horses vying for the win, but it was the young hoop that got the most out of his horse to salute by a head.
There is no doubting Wheeler’s ability with Monday’s two wins taking him to a clear early lead in the race to be Queensland’s top jockey.
Not to be outdone, apprentice Tahlia Fenlon also claimed a winning riding double.
The first of the Rockhampton product’s wins came in the 1666m Maiden Handicap aboard With Diamonds.
Thirteen is unlucky for some but it wasn’t for the Danny Bougoure-trained mare who was having her 13th race start.
Fenlon settled in the second half of the field before making her move at the 600m mark.
She took some time to wind up, but when she did, she let down powerfully to charge past her rivals and defeat the Wheeler-ridden Viking Blood by 0.65 of a length.
Fenlon completed her double in the Class 1 Handicap over 1350m with Isla Ornsay.
The Barry Lockwood-trained mare won at big odds at her previous start but on Monday she started $5.50.
The result was the same with Fenlon rating Isla Ornsay beautifully for an all the way win.
Corey Sutherland capped the apprentice domination in the final race when Mr Wandji brained his rivals.
The outside barrier in the field of ten posed no problem with Sutherland letting his mount stride to the front from the 1350m start.
Sutherland had them off the bit approaching the straight and at that point it was all over with the Tom Dougall-trained five-year-old striding clear for a massive 4.33 length win.
Earlier in the day, trainer Matt Dunn and jockey Andrew Mallyon teamed up with Godfather to win the Class 5 Handicap over 1100m.
The win was the third this season at Ipswich for both Dunn and Mallyon and took them to the top of their respective premierships.
The Murwillumbah conditioner has always had an affinity with the Bundamba circuit and claimed our leading trainer title in the 2011/12 season.
Local lad Jake Bayliss got his name in the winners list with the well named Smart As Smart.
The Renita Beaton-trained son of Smart Missile was given a perfect ride by Bayliss and showed a dazzling turn of foot to easily account for the Benchmark 62 Handicap field.
Racing returns to Ipswich this Friday the 23rd of August for our last meeting before the track undergoes renovation.
By Craig Sheppard
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