The feature for the fillies and mares on Ipswich Cup day is the Gai Waterhouse Classic where Mick Price’s 3yo filly Jazz Song heads the betting at $3.30. It’s been a very good race for favourites in recent years with Peron (2013), Gai Choice (2012) and Born To Rock (2011) all having saluted as the popular elects. Being out of a Group 1 winning mare, Absolut Glam by champion sire Fastnet Rock, a win will see her value skyrocket several times higher than the prize-money on offer. Her main challengers according to the market come from Breakfast In Bed and her fellow Victorian galloper Griante who are $5.50 and $6.00 respectively, and the only other runners in the field under double figure odds.
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1. DISCREET – C Munce (10) 59kgs
Returned to racing off a twenty two week spell and weakened from a position handy to the lead to run second last in the field of ten, 5.4 lengths from the winner of the Listed Bright Shadow Stakes, Ellawisdom. That was only her second run for the past 12 months so can expect improvement but not enough to turn around last start’s effort, especially with 59kgs and a wide draw.
2. PICKABEE – T Bell (14) 56kgs
Put together a sensational campaign last time in for trainer Caitlin Lavin, winning four of her seven starts. The Jet Spur mare returned to racing off a seven month spell with a good third (3.3 lengths) in the Listed Juanmo Stakes behind Srikandi who was excellent when third herself in last week’s Stradbroke Handicap. As she did first up, Pickabee has draw poorly again but can’t knock her overall form or first up effort and must be considered.
3. CUDDLESOME – B Stewart (11) 55.5kgs
5yo Canny Lad mare who is at her best when rolling along out in front. She took up such a position at her most recent start, the Listed Spear Chief Stakes (1500m) but was easily rounded up in the straight and finished eleventh (5.7 lengths) behind Aldini. That was her fifth start this prep and none of her previous four efforts would suggests she in the form required to be winning here.
4. ENDLESS SHADOW – T Harrison (5) 55.5kgs
Formerly with Tony McEvoy, this Dane Shadow mare saluted at her first start for new trainer Peter Hulbert two starts back with a nose win in Class 6 on the Sunshine Coast. She was then thrown into the deeper end of the pool and the G3 Glenlogan Park Stakes but run about as well as her 100/1 quote suggested she would, finishing twelfth and over nine lengths from Srikandi. Better draw here helps but not by nearly enough to see her winning.
5. JAZZ SONG – J Byrne (7) 55.5kgs
Well bred 3yo filly who has been very competitive in her three starts over the past month. She ran second to Miracles Of Life in the G2 Sportingbet Stakes (1200m) three starts ago in Adelaide before making the trek to Brisbane and lining up in the G3 Glenlogan Park Stakes for fillies and mares. From an inside draw she settled a few back on the fence and just had to wait rounding the turn for her run before easing off heels and closing well for fifth (3.4 lengths) behind Srikandi and Belle de Coeur, both very good since. She then took on the boys at her next and most recent start and was right in the thick of a blanket finish, running fifth again but by only a long neck to Sir Moments in the G2 Qld Guineas Can not be in better form for this and is the one to beat.
6. BREAKFAST IN BED – M Cahill (3)
An underrated galloper who notched up her sixth win from nineteen starts with a half-length win at Rosehill in a BM 80 (1200m) a fortnight ago. As she has done so here, she draw an inside gate and saved ground sticking to the fence to defeat Beckon. Never far away in this Fillies and Mares races and from a gun draw with top local hoop up, will be right in the mix here too.
7. SPITFIRE LADY – E Wilkinson (5) 55kgs
Kicked off this campaign in New Zealand and strung together three frustrating second placings before running a solid ninth (2 lengths) in the G1 Easter Handicap (1600m) back in mid-April. Her only run since then for her trainer Mike Moroney has been a fourth in a Listed race at Rotorua on a heavy track. Previous form when racing in Australia is a bit of mixed bag but from five she should put herself into the race and efforts this time in have been solid.
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8. TUKIYO – V Colgan (2) 55kgs
4yo mare by Haradasun who has had three runs in from a brief let-up with each of them solid efforts. She took up a forward position in the Listed Silk Stocking on the Gold Coast but on a heavy track, couldn’t match the likes of Srikandi and La Pieta, running sixth (3.6 lengths) before belying her quote of 50/1 when fourth (2 ¾ lengths) behind the same horse in the G3 Glenlogan Park Stakes three weeks ago. Hard to find a stronger form-line than Srikandi at the moment and has drawn well enough to again offer plenty of cheek.
9. GRIANTE – D Dunn (12) 54kgs
Made a hatrick of wins with an all-the-way 1 ¼ length win at Lakeside a fortnight ago in a 3yo fillies race over 1600m. The daughter of Good Journey keeps going from strength to strength but faces a few challengers here – the reverse way of going for the first time, a wide draw and a tougher grade of race. Despite these obstacles, she has been kept very safe in early markets at $6.00.
10. AVALADYLUCK – A Butler (6) 54kgs
Stuart Kendrick’s mare ran a great race when returning from a spell, winding up nicely over the final stages of the Listed Chief De Beers after coming from the tail of the field in a leader dominated race, finishing sixth (3.3 lengths). She backed that up with another good finish, but not as good as Ellawisdom’s and finished second to that horse, beaten 1 ½ lengths. Going well, the 1350m tailing the speed from gate six suits and she’ll be a certainty for the multiples.
11. CENTREPET – J Taylor (1) 54kgs
She’s been mixing her form up of late and whilst she’s won two of five, the races she hasn’t saluted in have been poor, including her most recent start in a BM 80 (1400m) at Rosehill. She settled in a good position, just behind the leaders but was under pressure before the tail and tailed off to finish last, beaten by Sense And Reason by over 17 lengths. Drawn to go forward but too hard to have off of last start’s effort.
12. FANTISHA – T Bell (13) 54kgs
Steve O’Dea’s Listed winning mare returned from a year’s break with a seventh placing behind Srikandi in the Listed Juanmo Stakes (1200m) a month ago. Can only be better for that run but still likely to need this run as well and a mile plus, before we see the best of her.
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13. SATURN ROCK – L Cassidy (9) 54kgs
Well travelled mare who now calls Tony Crane’s Beaudesert stables home. After failing to make an impression from back in the field on the heavy track in the Listed Silk Stocking on the Gold Coast, she was sent out in the G3 Glenlogan Park Stakes as a 20/1 shot. From an inside draw she secured a lovely run behind the speed and stuck on well given the winner and place-getter swooped home, and finished third (1.7 lengths) behind Ellawisdom. Drawn a little awkwardly here in nine but on a dry track her previous effort read well and a bold showing wouldn’t surprise.
14. ARMS LENGTH – A Allen (8) 54kgs
Was struggling to get the job done in Sydney so was taken to Goulburn for a BM 70 (1300m) for a confidence booster and she duly saluted as the 2/1 favourite. Her three runs since then though, have seen her again come up a bit short in BM 70 and 75 grades and for her to be winning her; she had to be winning them.
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RACE OVERVIEW
Griante will come across from her wide gate with Tukiyo kicking up along the fence and the pair setting the pace. From gate seven, Jim Byrne should be able to have Jazz Song well positioned and if she had won last start (only beaten a neck against boys) we wouldn’t be seeing $3.30. Going with Avaladyluck for second. Two runs back have been super and the step up to 1350m looks ideal. Breakfast In Bed only needs a touch of luck as they round the turn to be involved in the finish and her jockey Michael Cahill can make that luck happen more often than not. Pickabee rounds out the selections.
- JAZZ SONG
- AVALADYLUCK
- BREAKFAST IN BED
- PICKABEE