Ipswich Cup winner Self Sense to chase more Winter Carnival Cups

Heavily backed Ipswich Cup winner Self Sense will chase more Winter Carnival riches when he heads to the Sunshine Coast in a fortnight for the Listed $175,000 The Pump House Caloundra Cup (2400m).

Ipswich Cup winner Self Sense, above, will now head to the Sunshine Coast for the Caloundra Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Ipswich Cup winner Self Sense, above, will now head to the Sunshine Coast for the Caloundra Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

The David Brideoake trained Self Sense was backed in from double figure odds early in the week to start the $3.40 favourite for the Listed $175,000 Channel 7 Ipswich Cup (2150m) at Ipswich last Saturday.

Punters had nothing to worry about with winning jockey Michael Cahill steering Self Sense to a six and three quarter lengths runaway win over top weight Benzini ($4.40).

Self Sense’s Ipswich Cup win was his first win since taking out the Listed $130,000 Kilmore Cup (1600m) at Kilmore in February 2015 and he was coming off a last start thirteenth in the Group 2 $300,000 Evergreen Turf Brisbane Cup (2200m) at Doomben on June 10.

“We’ll stay now for the Caloundra Cup, and probably go on and run in the Queensland Cup,” Brideoake told racing.com.

“He’s been close, but hasn’t scored a win for a while now, so it was a lovely win – to do it in such good form was very rewarding.”

The Listed $150,000 Queensland Cup over 3200m will be run at the Sunshine Coast on July 15.

Even though Self Sense had been out of the winner’s stall for over two years, the Mornington trainer said that his form before the Brisbane Cup wasn’t too bad with a fourth over 2425m in a Caulfield Handicap on April 15 followed by a third in a 2000m Flemington Handicap on May 20.

“His form before going to Brisbane was outstanding, but marred by bad barriers. Running home from last at Flemington into third, a big run in the Yarra Valley Cup, a big run in the Mornington Cup. It was only a matter of time before all the ducks lined up,” Brideoake said.

“With a good gate, and some softness in the ground, the horse was in his element.”

The Ipswich Cup win on th rain affected track was Self Sense’s eighth from forty starts and took his earning to over $660,000.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.