Emotional Ipswich win honours Giddy Gan's namesake

By Jordan Gerrans

Giddy Gan's Joy gave her grieving connections a timely lift at Ipswich last week, with trainer Simon Foster paying tribute to the late mare's owner after the emotional victory.

The six-year-old mare has been raced across her career by long-time racing enthusiasts Guy and Pat Jellicoe, who are based at Serpentine in Western Australia.

Guy had been battling ill health in recent years before sadly passing away in February.

Across 51 career starts, Giddy Gan's Joy has recorded six victories and 12 minor placings, with the latest triumph coming at Ipswich on Thursday of last week, which was her first since Guy’s death.

The chestnut mare was originally named after Guy when she began her racing journey with leading conditioner Kris Lees in early 2022.

The Jellicoes' young grandchildren were struggling to say the word ‘granddad’ and kept calling Guy ‘Giddy Gan’.

So, the mare was named Giddy Gan's Joy and raced in his honour ever since.

“He's been sick for a long time, he has had a long-term illness,” Gold Coast trainer Foster said.

“Pat, she's managed all the racing interests since I've known them because of Guy's illnesses.

“So, she's done it pretty tough because of that. She's overseeing the property and all that kind of stuff.

“She's in her 80s too, she's not a young lady. So, she took great pleasure out of watching the horse win because she was basically Guy's carer, as well. Guy’s death left a big hole in her life when he passed.

“It gives them a little bit of joy. Even Guy, when he was still alive, he used to be able to sit and watch her on the TV.

“While he was still alive, even with his illness, he still enjoyed watching her go around.

“Pat was watching at her home when she won the other day.”

Foster, who was previously based in WA himself, has prepared Giddy Gan's Joy and the now retired Grecian Lass (who won five races) for the Jellicoe family in recent years. 

The gallopers both started their career with Lees before they were transferred to the Gold Coast. 

The Jellicoes also have horses with WA trainer Tim Crosby, who is a long-term friend of Foster's and helped bring the two parties together.

The Jellicoe family run a Red Angus cattle property just outside Perth. 

Crosby prepares Gi Gi Pops for the Jellicoe family, with the mare winning a city race in WA earlier in her career.

Giddy Gan's Joy has now won six races for Foster with top city hoop Cejay Graham partnering the mare to victory by more than a length last Thursday.

“She always runs a good race,” Foster said.

“She costs herself more than she wins. She probably should have won about eight or nine by now.

“She's honest and Cejay rode her well and has won on her before. In those kinds of races, she needs things to go her way and everything panned out for her as she didn't get held up in traffic.

“The horses brought her into the race at the right time and she was good enough to finish off at the end.”

Last Thursday's Ipswich triumph by Giddy Gan's Joy was her first win in 12 attempts since she last scored at the Gold Coast in the middle of October last year.

Foster has taken over riding Giddy Gan's Joy trackwork in recent times and cheekily noted that his riding qualities may have led to the change of racing fortune.

The 27-year-old Graham last won aboard Giddy Gan's Joy at Kilcoy in October of 2024.

“It's good to link back up with Simon, obviously he's put a lot of hard work into her at home,” Graham said.

“She's very tricky and she needs everything to go right.

“She's probably been getting a little bit far back in her races and as we know in these long-distance races, things really have to pan out for them.

“I was happy with the speed of the race and I was just able to build into the race at the right time.

“She had the momentum and it was good to see her go on with it.

“She wants to pull and hang and overdo things, so I was pretty confident that she was going to be able to finish strongly after she did everything right in running.

“So, it was good to see her get the win.”

Giddy Gan's Joy has been sent for a quick freshen-up following Thursday’s win.

Meanwhile, Foster has also sent stable star Da Snoop Dog for a break as well after he was gelded.

Da Snoop Dog broke his maiden status at the Sunshine Coast in November of last year as a colt before being targeted at higher honours.