Ipswich Friday features prepared Sir Maurice

With an advantageous claim on weight and a competitor set for a win, Jack Bruce is eager for Sir Maurice to perform at Ipswich this coming Friday.

Marking his fifth run this campaign, the five-year-old offspring of champion Japanese sire Maurice enters the Great Northern Benchmark 65 Handicap (1200m) for an initial foray at the venue about 60 minutes west of Brisbane.

"I think it is a nice race for him," said Bruce from Deagon regarding the horse he views as competent at this level without being exceptional.

"He drew wide at his last start and had to go all the way back in the run and that made it challenging for him to win the race.

"He got held up at a crucial time and he flew late for second. He's a horse in really good order at the minute and he's racing in good spirits.

"We just have to find the race for him and hopefully this is it."

Boasting three victories and eight placings across 23 starts, Sir Maurice is typically competitive yet overdue for success since May 2025.

Last outing, the gelding secured second place at Sunshine Coast in benchmark 60 grade over 1200 metres on February 22, and Leah Martyn keeps the mount with her 2kg claim reducing weight to 56kg.

"She's riding well and she's very dedicated," Bruce commented further.

"She does her homework and as far as two-kilo claimers go in the provincials, she is well worth using and she rode him last start and got held up at the wrong time so she she'll be hungry for success on him on Friday."

Bruce enters Sacred Bull too in the Racing and Sports Benchmark 58 Handicap (2010m), determining Friday morning if the six-year-old goes to Ipswich or the Sunshine Coast evening fixture.

Check the online bookmakers for the latest betting markets for the race featuring Sir Maurice at Ipswich.