Edmonds banking on Fire Bomber at Ipswich

Toby Edmonds has indicated that the peak performance of Fire Bomber is still in the future, but this does not preclude the gelding from securing another win at Ipswich on Friday.

In his eighth career outing, Fire Bomber faces the $28,000 TAB QTIS 3&4yo Benchmark 68 Handicap (1350m). He is aiming for his third career victory, complemented by two placings. The gelding will carry 60 kilograms, a burden his trainer anticipates he can manage effectively.

"He's a big, strong Better Than Ready gelding so I don't think he'll have much trouble with the weight. He's going very well and his runs have been terrific," Edmonds commented. "I think he can overcome it."

After being narrowly beaten in his last two runs at Doomben, Fire Bomber returns to the Ipswich track, the site of both his previous wins.

"Back a tad in grade is good but the QTIS money is what we are chasing," Edmonds further explained. "He's a progressive horse and should get through his grades pretty quickly, maybe next prep."

Edmonds' personal training record at Ipswich shows a winning strike-rate of just under 21% and a place-rate of 52.8% from nearly 290 starters.

Meanwhile, the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap victor, Spicy Martini, has returned to Edmonds' Gold Coast base and completed her initial fast gallop on Saturday morning. This workout was in preparation for a potential start in the Group 1 The Everest in October. Her return to racing is pencilled in for the Group 2 Concorde Stakes at Randwick on September 5.

With Fire Bomber's history at Ipswich, punters can explore the available racing betting markets for the upcoming race.