IBLE’S “CHOICE” CHALLENGE MAKES PMC FINAL

JOE Ible has taken up the challenge and is looking forward to his first Provincial-Midway Championships runner.

The Kembla Grange trainer qualified Vintage Choice at his home track last Saturday for the $1m Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12, when he finished second to Newcastle mare Imposant.

And he says the Irish bred gelding is “way overs” as he was when runner-up in the sixth Qualifier at $31.

TAB.com.au left Vintage Choice at $51 even after he had made the Final, though some corporate bookmakers have him at much lesser odds.

Ible said Bennett Racing sent him Vintage Choice to reinvigorate after he had arrived in Australia a couple of years ago with “a lot of expectation”.

The now six-year-old gelding raced five times in the Uk for a win as a two-year-old over 1408m at Redcar and three placings.

However, his sole Australian victory today for a prominent Sydney stable was in a Class 1 Handicap (1666m) at Ipswich in July 2023 when he led throughout under 61.5kg.

Vintage Choice was the first horse Bennett Racing sent to Ible last year, and he now trains three for the syndicator.

“I don’t do a lot on the track with Vintage Choice,” Ible said today.

“It’s not that he doesn’t like to gallop, but he’s a fiery customer and likes it too much.

“He does most of his work on the treadmill.

“Vintage Choice is quite highly strung, and the trick is to keep him relaxed.

“I was surprised he was such good odds last Saturday after he ran second first-up in a midweek Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm on March 5.

“The plan has always been to run him in a Provincial-Midway Qualifier to try to get him into the Final.

“I felt he would have gone close to winning at home last Saturday if he had drawn a better gate.

“I won’t run him again before the April 12 Final, and just have to keep him relaxed.

“Provided he draws well, I’m sure he can run well and is definitely overs at the $51 with TAB.”

Jean Van Overmeire rode Vintage Choice last Saturday, but is committed to fellow Kembla Grange trainer Paul Murray’s Welcometobarbados, who qualified for the Final by winning a 1400m Newcastle heat on March 8.

“We haven’t made any decision on a rider for the Final,” Ible said.

The last three spots in 15-horse Final field are up for grabs at Wyong on Saturday in the 1350m

Wild Card.

Sixteen horses have been entered for the Wild Card, and must have either started in a Qualifier in this year’s series or been an acceptor for one.

. Provincial trainers Adam Duggan (Gosford) and Kim Waugh (Wyong) were successful at today’s Beaumont meeting.

Duggan won the CG&E Maiden Plate (1150m) with $2.45 favorite Divine Bene, ridden by Group 1 winning jockey Ash Morgan, and Waugh’s Bertie (Alysha Collett) finished strongly to take the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1300m) as a well-backed $4.40 favorite.

Story John Curtis, March 24, 2025