Luck finally went the way of Bandipur when he gave trainer Kelly Purdy and jockey Jag Guthmann-Chester their biggest wins in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich.
Guthmann-Chester got a needle eye run on the rails in the straight to drive Bandipur ($11) to a half-length win over Boomsara ($6) with a short head to Monsieur Gustave ($18) in the 1200m race.
Purdy is in the record books as a jockey when she rode one of the longest-priced winners of a Magic Millions race on Warrior Girl in the 2010 Sprint.
She retired shortly after that win and has trained a small team on the Gold Coast for most of the past decade.
One of Queensland’s biggest owners, Mick Crooks, liked Purdy’s work ethic and gave her Bandipur to train after he bought him from Melbourne.
“I was so thrilled to get a good horse from Mick. It makes getting up in the morning worthwhile,” Purdy said.
“We have won with Bandipur but he should have won a few more. He has had nothing but luck during the winter.
“He saw a lot of the outside fence at his last start in the Grafton Ramornie.
“I could see he was travelling so well today but I thought he might not get out. Thankfully the runs came for Jag.”
Purdy said Bandipur would now be spelled and then come back to chase a wild card to the Magic Millions carnival.
Guthmann-Chester was Brisbane’s leading apprentice three years ago but has struggled for recognition since a stint in Sydney.
But he is gradually climbing back to the top with the support of several Gold Coast stables where he is based.
Guthmann-Chester said it was good to get a Listed win to put his name back in discussions.
“This is my first Listed win and it is great to get it for Kelly who has stuck by me,” Guthmann-Chester said.
“I don’t how I got some of the runs I got. I had a lot of horse under me and I just need luck.”
Trainer Chris Munce was thrilled with the run of Boomsara who was run off his feet early but finished strongly.
