Bear’s Bullet edges to victory in thrilling Ipswich Gold Cup decider

By Pat McLeod

Travis Elson’s Bear’s Bullet overcame the weight of expectation and the threat of fast-finishing underdog Get Carter to claim the $225,000 Group 1 Ipswich Gold Cup on Thursday night.

The notoriously tenacious home-bred chaser was the $1.90 punters’ overwhelming favourite, however Grant Franklin’s Get Carter almost caused a major boil-over, failing by just a nose.

To complete a very tight finish, Jamie Hosking’s Jen’s Joy was less than a length from the winner in third place.

The winning time was a sizzling 30.13 seconds. 

“There was probably a little bit of pressure on me to win this race, being favourite,” Elson said. 

“I thought she was a really good chance, but I'm not sure if she was a $1.90 chance coming into a Group 1 race.

“That is a big ask from box four.”

The Fernando Bale and Mumma's Hope chaser jumped well and ricocheted off runners before finding the lead early.

Jen’s Joy (box seven) and Get Carter (box eight), both successfully came across from their alleys to launch an early attack on the leader.

“She (Bear’s Bullet) began well and then hit another dog, which probably didn't give her the clean getaway that she normally has," the winning trainer said. 

“When we were turning for home, I was worried about the eight because it has run my dog down when she was a baby (in the QGOLD Emerging Sprinters Final in May at Albion Park).

“But, I think it is just the maturity of her now and she has become stronger and that helps in the back end of these big races.”

The victory, worth $150,000 to the winner, continues a sensational year for Elson and his Yandina Creek (Sunshine Coast) kennel.

It began with his first Group 1 win, to Hello Mike in the Brisbane Summer Carnival’s Gold Bullion Final.

“Both the Group 1 wins are very emotional, both amazing wins,” Elson said.

“Probably more-so for this girl because I bred her and her mum (Mumma’s Hope) and her mother's mum (Summer’s Sizzler).

“So, it goes back generations.

“With Hello Mike, Mum and Dad (Cyndie and Bill Elson) bred him and they owned him whereas Hope (Travis’ wife) and myself own little ‘Bears’.

“Her mother sleeps on our bed every night, so that is how much of a close connection it is for us. This is as home bred as it gets for us.”

Elson said the extremely narrow win came down to Bear’s Bullet’s desire to win.

“It is just her tenacity and her will to chase,” he said.

“She tries her heart out and that box speed says it all. The close finish to Get Carter wasn't a surprise. That dog can run. He has that Hello Mike X-factor.”

The lead-up races on Thursday night were just as fascinating in front of a bumper crowd at the Ipswich Showgrounds track for the club’s inaugural Group 1 event.

In the Gold Cup Consolation, Greg Stella’s Magistrate found the form that has been a trademark of his performances on this circuit.

From box rise he dominated, winning by seven lengths ahead of Kevin Macintosh’s Boys Light Up with Daysea’s Rowdy third, in 30.24 seconds. 

The Tom Tzouvelis kennel continued its winning run in the Past Members Trophy Final event, with victory to another home-bred, Amendola, with Springtime Gold (trained by Sean Galloway) second and Jeff Crawford’s Titanium Gunn third, in 36.99 seconds. 

“He (Amendola) was always really good at Albion Park, but not so good here at Ipswich,” Tzouvelis explained.

“A few weeks ago I bought him here and he trialed really well, the best that he has gone.

“We knew then that he had turned the corner here.”

Amendola, who is by Tzouvelis’ former champion Maurice Minor, will again be tried over 700 metres.

“With the Maurice Minor pups, and the dam-line in general, they have always been a late maturing line," Tzouvelis said. 

“They go good at 18 months, but they always go better at two years and two and a half.

“He is just starting to get to his peak now. Whether he can go further or not I'm not sure.”

Thursday night’s win was the third in a row for the Tzouvelis kennel in the middle-distance feature, with victory in 2021 to Sunburst and last year to She’s Sweet.

Tzouvelis ended the night with a treble. 

Cobblepot’s trainer Stephen Rolph is also considering stepping up in distance after that dog’s narrow win in the Ipswich Sprint Final over 431 metres on Thursday night.

“We’ll now go back and have a go at the 500 metres,” Rolph said.

Cobblepot just held out a fast-finishing Fernando Grand (Gary Mackay), with Edge Gambler (Patrick Lavis) third, in 24.66 seconds. 

“He hasn't really had much of a chance there so I will see if he can run it,” Rolph said.

Rolph knew that his opposition would have to run time to threaten his chaser.

“I thought if they didn't touch him early, they would have to go ‘70’ to beat him,” he said.

“Fernando Grand was certainly coming and at the 600 metre boxes I was certainly worried. But, luckily he held on.”