Return to racing reward for Gladstone trainer

By Jordan Gerrans

Returning conditioner Ryan Ibbotson was chuffed to land his first winner since December of 2017 when Impactfull Miss converted her solid form into a win on Saturday afternoon at Yeppoon.

Ibbotson previously trained out of Calliope in Central Queensland before stepping away from the caper for a number of years to focus on the home front and his family commitments.

Now based at Gladstone, the 49-year-old has been back preparing a small team for the last year or so.

Impactfull Miss, who he owns, has been his stable star since March of last year with a handful of placings.

She landed her first triumph for her owner and trainer on Saturday when she scored over 1000 metres in Benchmark 50 Handicap grade on the non-TAB circuit.

Nikki Olzard piloted the daughter of Real Impact to victory.

“I was very pleased,” Ibbotson, who works for the local council at Gladstone, said.

“I bought her from Kerrod Smyth who had her at Rockhampton and he had her for sale online.

“I was out of horses for probably about five or six years. I got married and moved away from where my stables were.

“I got the itch back to train again and I bought her online.”

Before Impactfull Miss landed the prize on Saturday, Ibbotson’s last win was with Salty's Boy at Calliope in late 2017.

Alongside Impactfull Miss, Ibbotson is also preparing Malbec Man and Dubious Power in his small team of three.

Thangool-based apprentice rider Amie Meissner will often make the trip to Gladstone to help Ibbotson and the fellow local trainers with their gallops.

“Amie has been great,” he said.

“I've got a treadmill at home here that I keep them ticking over with, but you've still got to gallop them to keep them race fit.”

Impactfull Miss has been building towards her breakthrough triumph as she was not beaten by far at Thangool at her last start in late April over the 800 metre scamper.

“I've had to try and race her to get her fit,” the trainer said.

“She has probably gone around in a few unsuitable races to get her fitness up but she has been able to pick up some prizemoney along the way.

“When I bought her, she seemed to have good form around Rockhampton where Kerrod was racing her.

“I thought she might be a good horse for places like Thangool and Yeppoon, where I have been racing her lately.

“I thought I'll just keep persevering and she might go better out there as Kerrod had not started her in places like that before.

“There's been a few times there where I probably thought she could have won before this race.”

Impactfull Miss now has three victories on her resume from 33 attempts.

As for the remainder of his small team, Ibbotson is hopeful maiden galloper Malbec Man can breakthrough in the near future while Dubious Power is yet to make her raceday debut.

“We're just trying to get them ticked over to maybe get a start out of them in a couple of months' time,” he said.