Red Wave returns to the winner’s list to land the $250,000 Listed Ipswich Cup

Father and daughter training combination Tony and Maddy Sears continued their remarkable recent run with Red Wave annexing the Listed Ipswich Cup.

Angela Jones and Tony Sears after Red Wave's Ipswich Cup heroics Picture: Grant Peters

Security denied trainer Tony Sears entry to the mounting yard two minutes prior to the Ipswich Cup, moments later he was king of the place after winning the feature with Red Wave in a two-horse war.

The Toowoomba trainer, who trains in partnership with his daughter Maddysen, had long been bullish of his chances in the $250,000 feature, but that was not backed up by punters, who sent the five-year-old out a $17 chance in betting.

Sears joked he must not have looked like a trainer after getting denied entry into the mounting yard, but was smiling like a Cheshire cat, as his stable continued its golden winter run.

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“I don’t know what happened, maybe I looked too round to be a trainer,” Sears joked post race.

“What is a trainer meant to look like?

Red Wave returns to the winner's list with a tough victory in the Listed Ipswich Cup Picture: Grant Peters

“This is a great thrill to have my daughter here standing next to me.

“Everything I do, I do it for Maddysen, I’m just so happy to see this horse win, she (Maddysen) does all the work with him.

“I’m really pleased for her and she deserves all the credit. Everything went to plan today.”

It marked a fourth stakes winner for jockey Angela Jones, who produced a perfect on-speed ride with a lightweight to kick away from London Banker inside the final 50m.

Jones won the Listed Lightning Handicap aboard Sears’ Steady Ready just weeks earlier, and was at it again on Saturday.

“It’s a big thrill to win this race, especially for Tony and Maddy who have been such big supporters of mine,” Jones said.

“You can never count out one of their horses, even though he was coming in off two fairly average runs.

“They knew he was back to his best today, and barrier one was going to count for a lot.

“We got the sweetest run, and credit to the horse because he travels where you want him to.

Red Wave takes the 2024 @tabcomau Ipswich Cup in a busy finish! @IpswichTurfClub@MS_SearsRacingpic.twitter.com/xPwTPzJ3TS

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 22, 2024

“I didn’t have to spend a penny, it looked like it was going to be a dogfight with Kelly Schweida’s horse (London Banker), but I knew we had the upper hand with the weight pull.

“It was a super effort from a tough horse, so full credit to Tony and Maddy. They’re happy to put me on in these big races, so I’m really happy to get the job done for them.”

Jockey Cejay Graham went to stewards claiming she was denied a fair start in the race aboard her mount King Frankel, saying a barrier attendant had a hold of it when the start was affected.

Stewards disagreed, saying the horse was afforded a fair start.

Originally published as Red Wave returns to the winner’s list to land the $250,000 Listed Ipswich Cup