Ipswich Cup Day is one of the more unique experiences of the Winter Carnival in Queensland each year, particularly if you’re on track, and nine races will be run and won west of Brisbane on Saturday.
Pundits flock in from everywhere to enjoy the festivities (there was a rave tent in the middle of the track two years ago) and to find a winner or two.
Get out your lime green suit and your white speed dealers, but don’t worry about the form – I’ve already done it for you! Check out my complete 2021 Ipswich Cup Day Tips below.
Millward finished second behind Derani when resuming at Doomben a couple of weeks ago and he can turn the tables on that horse in the first on Ippy Cup Day.
The Chris Munce-trained colt was fair at best in his first two career starts, but returned from a break to finish only a length behind the fitter horse.
With improvement he’ll be right in the finish again, and the $7.50 we’re getting at publish looks a touch of overs.
This is a wide-open race and at publish, we’re faced with joint favourites and $5 the field.
One of the race favourites, the Chris Waller-trained Prospectus has noticeably improved with each of his three starts back this time, and he does look ready to strike.
He clearly needed the run when he finished down the order at Eagle Farm when resuming, but he has placed in each of his two subsequent starts, including a close-up second in Class 4 company at Doomben last time.
Craig Williams jumps into the saddle and the horse should get every opportunity under the conditions of this race.
Incentivise has opened a $1.35 favourite in the Provincial Stayers Final after winning each of his last four starts in impressive fashion.
I can’t find one to beat him, but I’m also not at all keen to dip in at that price.
This is another tough one to analyse from a betting perspective with no real standouts and several leading contenders drawing awkwardly.
Tony Gollan is flying and for that reason, I’m going to have a small bet on Purroni ($6 at publish).
Purroni has had three starts back from a spell and finished second behind Starvirgo at Doomben before stepping out in the Listed Silk Stocking, albeit a failed tilt.
She has been freshened for this race and it does look a winnable one for her.
Amish Boy has also accepted into the Eye Liner Stakes later on the program, but I’m confident he’d absolutely piss in, if this is the way that Maher & Eustace elect to go.
Amish Boy has been a great horse throughout his career, and he has returned plenty of typically pleasing efforts this year, highlighted by a third placing in the Newmarket, and he enters this race off the back of a third placing behind Apache Chase and Ayrton in the Fred Best Classic.
Should he be scratched, I’ll have something on Tumbler Ridge instead.
The resuming Desert Lord is the one to beat in the sixth at Ipswich on Saturday.
Desert Lord hasn’t been seen at the races since January, but he was a typically strong and consistent Saturday performer last time in.
He is a multiple first-up winner and with even luck, his class will carry him a long way towards victory again.
This Ipswich Cup always draws a good field, and it is typically a good betting race as well.
There are absolutely no exceptions to those rules in 2021 and there is a case to be made for several, including Humbolt Current.
Humbolt Current has been a typically consistent performer throughout his 2021 preparation, and he was last seen finishing second in the Gold Coast Cup at the beginning of May.
He has since been freshened, has had the benefit of a trial and looks ready to go.
With a light weight, from a good barrier and under Willo, I think that the $8.50 available at publish looks a lovely bet.
The Eye Liner is one of my favourite races of the season, largely because I’ve managed to find the winner at a lovely price an awful lot.
I’m A Rippa did it for me, so too did Man Booker, and I’m confident that Groundswell will join that list this Saturday.
Groundswell recorded consecutive wins at Bendigo and in a Listed race in Adelaide before arriving in Brisbane for a luckless run in the Group 3 BRC Sprint.
I’m still not sure how Charleise caught him in the Listed Spear Chief Handicap last time out, but that horse hasn’t accepted for Saturday, and this bloke can go one better.
She failed to fire in the Helen Coughlan Stakes last time, but her form prior was excellent, and I think that Intrepidacious can win her first start for Lee Freedman in the Gai Waterhouse Classic.
Intrepidacious returned to the races with an eye-catching effort to score in BM78 company at Caulfield and arrived in Brisbane to finish second, beaten a nostril by Outback Barbie in the Bright Shadow.
A repeat of that effort would likely see her too good on Saturday, and we can have an each-way play at around the $7.50 mark.