ANOTHER LONG PRICED WINNER FOR WILLIAM KROPP AND A TRIP TO TALWOOD PAYS DIVIDENDS

By Graham Potter | Saturday, September 19, 2026

A first-up win by Baccarat Rouge ambushed punters … and blew most of them away … with a triumph thought to be over a distance well short of her best when she saluted over 1350m in a Ratings Band 0-65 Handicap at Ipswich on September 9 at long odds.

The five-year-old daughter of Casino Prince, who landed her sixth career win here racing fresh after a five-and-a-half month break from racing, had won her Maiden a little over a year ago (on September 20, 2025) over 1400m in similar fashion when resuming after a six month layoff.

While she did add a second win over 1500m, her last three successes prior to this latest win have come over 1900m, 2000m and 2010m … hence the question mark about her prowess at this time over the much shorter 1350m and the reluctance of punters to support her, leaving her out in the cold in the betting at a starting price of $41 (out from $31).

This was, in fact, Baccarat Rouge’s second win in her last four starts, the previous win coming back on March 6 over the 2010m trip. Coutney Bellamy was in the saddle on that occasion, and she was again entrusted with the riding responsibilities at Ipswich where her 3kg claim proved an asset in a pressurised finish in which only 1.50 lengths separated the first four runners across the line.

Baccarat Rouge earned a warning from the stewards for being fractious on leaving the mounting yard. Those antics and the fact that Bellamy effectively had little option but to take Baccarat Rouge back from the extreme outside draw (barrier ten out of ten) and settle in last place in the early running, wouldn’t have had punters worried about the $41 chance who was nine to ten lengths off the leader, the $1.60 favourite Barrelling, as the field went past the 1000m mark.

Six hundred meters later little had changed with Baccarat Rouge still facing the task of having to pass every other runner if she was to win.

Approaching the turn Baccarat Rouge still had it all to do, with Bellamy now switching the William Kropp trained runner all of six wide, not looking for any favours in the straight, but rather backing her mounts ability to unwind a finishing effort from behind with a clear run to the line.`

At the 200m mark Barrelling was already a beaten favourite as Royal Gladiator ($8) surged into the lead looking every inch a winner. That move did have all of his rivals covered … except one!

With 200m left to run Baccarat Rouge was still five lengths in arrears and the widest runner on the track but she was now starting to unleash to the extent that, with 100m left to run, she had cut the deficit to Royal Gladiator in half and was carrying enough momentum to snare Royal Gladiator with 20m left to run.

There could be no excuses for any of the beaten runners.

This was a superb training effort by William Kropp coupled with an equally sound effort in the saddle from Bellamy.

That’s win number six for Baccarat Rouge now from twenty starts with her prize-money earnings starting to close in on the $100 000 mark.
______________________________________________________________________

You go where they can win … and that was exactly the principle behind the Matt Kropp stable sending the five-year-old mare Ceekay’s Choice on a three-and-a-half hour road trip (that’s one way) from Toowoomba to Talwood where she got the chocolates in a BM60 Handicap over 1200m on September 19.

The daughter of Spirit Of Boom prevailed in what came down to a two-way battle between the Kropp trained runner, who jumped as the 43.40 favourite) and her market rival The Rookie ($3.50) with Ceekay’s Choice getting home by a 0.63 winning margin.

Ceekay’s Choice provided apprentice Isabel Jessop with the first leg of a riding double on the day (she would later salute of the Nick Beck trained Linwar).

This was Ceekay’s third win from twenty-three starts. She also has nine minor placings to her credit … seven runner-up finishes and two third places.

More articles