Former champion jockey and nowadays trainer Chris Munce is expecting an improved performance from his stayer First Crush in the Listed $175,000 Channel 7 Ipswich Cup (2150m) at Ipswich on Saturday.
Trainer Chris Munce, above with Jockey Damian Browne, is hoping for an improved effort from First Crush in the 2018 Ipswich Cup at Ipswich. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Munce admits that First Crush might have been a little bit out of his depth last start when eighth in the Group 3 $125,000 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1630m) at Doomben on May 26 but said he was better placed stepping up to 2150m in the Ipswich Cup.
“First Crush will be much better suited on Saturday than his last start in the Lord Mayors Cup. He was ridden a bit out of his comfort zone and weight-for-age didn’t suit,” Munce told AAP.
“He is headed to the Grafton Cup next month but with a light weight here and out to a suitable distance I would be looking for a good run.”
First Crush has drawn barrier seven in the eleven horse Ipswich Cup field with Matthew McGillivray in the saddle again and an improved performance from the gelding will see Munce head to Grafton with the six year old for the Listed $160,000 Grafton Cup (2350m) at Grafton on July 12.
Bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au don’t expect First Crush to bother the more highly fancied runners in the Ipswich Cup and have eased his price out from $18 to $20 on race eve.
The Darren Weir trained Tradesman dominates the Ipswich Cup betting at $1.80 on the back of the six year old’s last start second to Egg Tart in the weight for age Group 2 $200,000 Bradford Access Insulation P.J. O’Shea Stakes (2200m) at the Sunshine Coast on June 2.
The nearest to Tradesman in the betting is the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Ecuador at $5.50 ahead of the Victorian mare Smart As You Think at $8.
Smart As You Think has had one run during the 2018 Queensland Winter Racing Carnival for a fourth to Egg Tart in the P.J. O’Shea Stakes.
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