Trainer David Vandyke hops back into the winner’s enclosure courtesy of Blackjack Bella in Ipswich Mile

DAVID Vandyke has notched his first Saturday metropolitan winner since moving to the Sunshine State full time courtesy of Blackjack Bella at Ipswich.

DAVID Vandyke conceded it will take him a few seasons to hit his straps in Queensland after notching his first Saturday metropolitan winner since moving to the Sunshine State fulltime courtesy of Blackjack Bella in the Ipswich Mile.

Vandyke moved his full operation from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast in recent weeks and is expected to become a major force in the Queensland training ranks.

But the former Sydney trainer warned it will take him some time to gather momentum at his new base.

“We don’t have any great ambitions in the first few seasons but come the third season we will be getting serious,” he said.

Vandyke won an open handicap at Doomben with Maurus on April 30 but said this was his first Saturday metropolitan winner since making the fulltime move from Sydney.

Vandyke has had a luckless run in a host of Queensland feature races recently with Sir John Hawkwood in particular and also had to settle for second with two short-priced favourites at Ballina last Monday.

Vandyke was just happy to be back in the winner’s stall with Blackjack Bella.

“We’ve had a run of three seconds in a row and when they hit the line I thought not again,” Vandyke said.

“She has done a fantastic job this horse and she has won three in a row now.

“This is the first prep I’ve had with her and she was in a paddock before I got her and the owners weren’t sure what to do with her because she was a bleeder.

“They decided to send her to me and it’s great to win a race for the syndicate.”

Blackjack Bella denied a fast-finishing Outraged by a short half-head. Outraged was backed in from as much as $7 on Saturday morning to $3.60 but had to settle for the runner-up prize for the second consecutive time this campaign.

Originally published as Trainer David Vandyke hops back into the winner’s enclosure courtesy of Blackjack Bella in Ipswich Mile