Ironchamp makes all the running

When Ironchamp came in for solid support to be the favourite and then started as the $21 second fancy, it became evident that the horse was a top chance.

When there is smoke, there is fire, so they say.

Stable and punters' confidence is a good barometer in putting the money where the mouth is.

With only 50.5kg on his back and given a 10-out-of-10 ride by 3kg-claimer Jerlyn Seow, the Steven Burridge-trained five-year-old Australian-bred duly obliged.

Never mind that there were some higher-rated rivals, most of all the revitalised last-start winner Circuit Mission who regained favouritism at $19.

Ironchamp stole a march by making all the running in Sunday's $70,000 Class 3 event over 1,400m on the Long Course C.

The chestnut gelding put a wing on every foot the moment he jumped from the widest barrier in the 11-horse field.

Seow steered her mount to cross in easily for the shortest route home. Her mount led by a couple of lengths.

Jockey A'Isisuhairi Kasim moved up second, followed by Elite Incredible (apprentice jockey Simon Kok), who was one of the early fancies but eased to $43.

Ironchamp kept increasing his lead - to about five lengths at the halfway point.

He was still well clear going into the straight.

Circuit Mission and Elite Incredible tried to narrow the margin, but to no avail.

Just when Ironchamp looked off and gone, jockey Matthew Kellady brought King's Command home with a barnstorming run to give the leader's backers a scare.

Alas, it was all too late. Ironchamp held on courageously to win by an easy length in a quick 1min 21.78sec.

Although Circuit Mission could not quite muster the same turn of foot with an extra 2.5kg to 56.5kg on his back, he held on for third, half a length away.

Trumpy finished a nice fourth, another 21/2 lengths away. He is obviously looking for a longer trip. Jot him down in your notebook.

Ironchamp was only Burridge's second winner for the year. He was on hand to savour the victory, unlike his first, Seson, on Jan 22.

The Australian was then back home on a holiday, which was made longer when he tested positive for Covid-19.

"Finally, a change of luck for the yard," he said.

"This is a free-running type of horse who needs to have things his way when he goes forward. Sometimes, it goes his way, sometimes it doesn't.

"Last time it wasn't the rider's (Krisna Thangamani) fault as another horse took him on.

"Jerlyn rode him well. I told her to let the horse gallop along and not to ride him out until the last 200m, and she did just that."

Interestingly, the Singaporean apprentice jockey had her first win for Burridge, to whom she was previously indentured when she picked up riding as her career.

"I first joined Leslie Khoo before going to Steven Burridge. I then went to Mark Walker and now Donna Logan," said Seow.

"It's great to ride a winner for my former boss. I rode only twice for him before, Ironclad, and this was my third ride.

"The horse was always travelling well and I wasn't worried he was so far in front. But I got a bit worried when I heard the horses coming at him in the last bit. But, luckily, he held on."

A five-year-old by Glass Harmonium, Ironchamp was posting his fourth win from 23 starts. He has amassed about $180,000 in prize money for CK Stable.