Tamworth Racing Tips 20 May 2026 — can Neasham cash in again?
Ipswich Racing Tips 20 May 2026 — can Vandyke boss the day?
Ipswich Racing Tips 20 May 2026 — can Vandyke boss the day?
There’s a very specific Ipswich theme I keep coming back to this morning: when David Vandyke turns up with a pair, you don’t treat it like background noise. He wins about one in every six runners he brings to this track, and today he’s got bullets in two of the three races we’ve been given. That’s not a “stable hype” angle either, it’s practical. Ipswich can punish horses that get posted wide and chase, and Vandyke’s teams are usually drilled to land in the right spot early.
So these Ipswich racing tips are written around two things: (1) which runners can hold a position from their draws, and (2) where the proven Ipswich jockeys and trainers sit on the card. Three races on turf here, with a sharp 1200m for the babies, then a staying BM60 over 2165m, then a messy maiden over 1848m where you want to back the horse that’s knocking on the door, not the one that’s had 10 chances.
Ipswich — the setup
Going is not listed in the racecard, so I’m leaning harder on map and proven Ipswich habits than any track-bias guesswork. What we do know: a lot of today’s runners have only one or two course attempts on their resume. Treat those as a single data point, not a trend, and keep moving.
Limited meaningful course form across today’s fields. Most runners have one or two starts here, so the better edge sits with the high-volume jockeys and trainers who repeatedly handle Ipswich’s rhythm.
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| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Thompson | 55 | 11 | 32 | 20.0 | 58.18 |
| Ryan Maloney | 14 | 2 | 7 | 14.29 | 50.0 |
| Boris Thornton | 20 | 3 | 10 | 15.0 | 50.0 |
| B Lerena | 63 | 12 | 29 | 19.05 | 46.03 |
| Trainer | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T J Gollan | 43 | 7 | 24 | 16.28 | 55.81 |
| Jack Bruce | 38 | 9 | 21 | 23.68 | 55.26 |
| C J Waller | 40 | 7 | 20 | 17.5 | 50.0 |
| David Vandyke | 24 | 4 | 9 | 16.67 | 37.5 |
| K M Schweida | 28 | 3 | 9 | 10.71 | 32.14 |
Race-by-race
Race 1: Barrier Reef Pools Hcp — 12:33, 1203m
The baby race reads like a draw and stable-setup test, so I’m starting with the horse I actually want to back: Final Crusade. Gollan doesn’t need an invitation at Ipswich, and this colt’s form line (2-0-2) screams “ready to win” rather than “learning on the job”. In his last 90 days of racing he’s had just three runs, but he’s hit the frame twice, so the base level is there and the yardage suits a horse who’s been kept up to the mark without being knocked around.
Barrier 10 isn’t cuddly in a big field of 2yos, but Ryan Maloney is the sort of rider who can make a wide-ish gate workable here by pushing early and then taking a sit. If Final Crusade lands one off them with cover, he’s the one I trust to sustain a run when the sprint starts turning into a grind at the 200m.
The danger is Hell Or Heaven. He’s placed on his only start at Ipswich, and even with only two runs in the last 90 days he’s already shown he belongs in this grade (one placing, average finish 3.5). Draw 7 also gives him a cleaner map than a few of the obvious hopes.
What I’m doing: win bet Final Crusade. Small saver on Hell Or Heaven if you want insurance in a race that can go sideways early.
Race 2: Great Northern (Bm60) — 13:08, 2165m
Here’s the puzzle: do you want the Ipswich winner, or the horse that keeps running into the right race without getting his head in front? I’m siding with the proven local result and the stable intent.
Trump Card has already won at Ipswich and he’s done it from two visits here, so he’s at least shown he handles the track. He also comes in with four runs in the last 90 days for a win and another placing, which is proper, functioning BM60 form rather than a “one good run months ago” profile. Gate 3 is the clincher. Over 2165m, a kind draw saves you fuel, and fuel is everything when they turn it into a staying test from the 700m.
The horse I respect most as the threat is Empire Of Art. He’s placed on his only start at Ipswich and his recent work is solid without the win: four runs in the last 90 days, three placings, and an average finish of 2.0. That’s a horse who keeps landing the blow, and if the tempo is only fair, he’s the one who can sprint off a soft run.
Others: Weona Redwood has the “winning last-start type” profile over the 90-day window (3 runs, 1 win, 2 placings) but barrier 14 in a staying race asks for too many favours unless the speed collapses completely.
What I’m doing: Trump Card to win. Exacta saver Trump Card and Empire Of Art in either order if you’re playing exotics, but keep stakes sensible.
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Race 3: Tab Mdn Plate — 13:43, 1848m
This is the one race where I’m happy to be a bit firmer, because the profile I like is simple: a maiden that has been consistently close, drawn to take the right run, with the right stable behind it. Bon Vader fits it cleanly. The form reads 3-4-2-2-2, and that’s not “he’ll win eventually” fluff, that’s a horse repeatedly running to a standard that wins most Ipswich maidens when the right race turns up.
He also gets Ryan Maloney again, and that matters at Ipswich more than people admit. Maloney wins about one in seven rides here and hits the frame half the time, which is plenty reliable when you’re trying to avoid trouble in a big maiden. Gate 11 isn’t perfect, but over 1848m he has enough time to slide across and find cover, and Vandyke runners usually switch on early enough to hold a spot.
The danger I can’t ignore is Ablesheeba. Ben Thompson is an Ipswich weapon, and while Ablesheeba’s last-90-days numbers aren’t flashy (three runs, one placing), he looks like the type who can improve sharply when he finds the right trip and lands closer in the run. Thompson’s ability to keep them out of trouble is worth real money here.
For value players, Gratification is the “always thereabouts” runner (three runs in the last 90 days, two placings) but he’s drawn 16, and that can turn into a long day if he gets posted deep without cover.
What I’m doing: Bon Vader win bet. If the market is skinny, I’m still backing him, but I’d rather top up with a quinella Bon Vader and Ablesheeba than spray wide in a big-field maiden.
The plays
NAP: Bon Vader (Race 3, 13:43). The three straight seconds tell you he’s already running the figure for this grade, and Maloney at Ipswich is a no-fuss booking. I want the horse that keeps putting himself in the finish, not the one that needs everything to go right from the clouds.
Value: Empire Of Art (Race 2, 13:08). He’s placed on his only Ipswich start and his recent form is as honest as it gets: four runs in the last 90 days for three placings, average finish 2.0. If you get a price because he “doesn’t win often”, I’ll take it.
Banker for multis: Trump Card (Race 2, 13:08). Gate 3, already an Ipswich winner, and he’s got a win and another placing in his last four runs. That’s the sort of stability you want in a staying BM60.
Each-way look: Final Crusade (Race 1, 12:33). He’s placed in two of his last three starts and lands with Gollan and Maloney. In a big 2yo field, I’m happy taking the safer route if win odds tighten.
Course angle to keep: Ben Thompson at Ipswich. Fifty-five rides for 32 placings is a serious hit rate at this track, and he turns up in multiple races again. When you see him on a horse that maps to park close, respect it immediately.
Next Ipswich meeting, keep a close eye on which stables can consistently draw and hold a position here, because the riders with local confidence keep pinching races before the swoopers even balance up.
FAQ
What time does racing start at Ipswich today?
Ipswich gets underway at 12:33 with the Barrier Reef Pools Hcp over 1203m.
Who are the top jockeys and trainers at Ipswich on this card?
Ben Thompson is the standout jockey profile at Ipswich: 55 rides for 11 wins and 32 placings at the track. Among the big stables, Jack Bruce strikes at 9 wins from 38 runners here, while T J Gollan has 7 wins and 24 placings from 43, which is the sort of volume that holds up.
What are the best bets at Ipswich today?
My Ipswich best bets are Bon Vader in Race 3 (form 342-22) as the day’s NAP, and Trump Card in Race 2 as the safer multi anchor, already a winner from two runs at the track.
Where can I find the best odds for Ipswich races?
Best approach is to shop around with your usual books close to jump time. For this meeting, live Ipswich odds weren’t available in the odds feed at the time of writing, so price-checking late matters even more than usual. If you want a single place to start, compare the fixed-odds boards in your bookmaker apps, then re-check 10 minutes before each race.
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