Ipswich played host to feature racing on Saturday with three listed races on the program.
Self Sense was able to bounce back from a modest Brisbane Cup showing with a dominant victory in the Channel Seven Ipswich Cup (2150m).
Settling around midfield with Michael Cahill on board, Self Sense made good ground coming to the turn before running on strongly in the straight.
The David Brideoake-trained runner kicked well clear inside the 200m, running out a three quarter length winner over Benzini with Jumbo Prince in third.
Having been up since February, Self Sense returned a new career peak Timeform figure of 105, his highest since winning the 2015 Kilmore Cup (103).
Self Sense measures up pretty well to recent winners of the race despite returning a Timeform figure well below the 117 Maurus ran to last year and is the second highest rated winner of the race in the last five years.
The rising seven-year-old gelding is certainly much better with some give in the ground and will be hoping for some rain leading in to the Caloundra Cup on Saturday week.
Of the beaten runners, Benzini in second ran to 105, seven pounds below his Brisbane Cup fourth with Jumbo Prince in third running to 96.
Monsieur Gustave was able to hold off his more fancied rivals when claiming victory in the Listed City Of Ipswich Eye Liner Stakes (1350m).
Stepping up in grade off a solid resuming effort at the Sunshine Coast, Monsieur Gustave did enough over the concluding stages to win by a narrow margin with In His Stride hitting the line well for second and Federal third.
The Darryl Hansen-trained runner ran to a clear new career peak Timeform figure of 102, six pounds above his previous best achieved twice at the back end of last preparation.
Monsieur Gustave is the lowest rated winner of the race since its inception in 2016, running well below the 111 of Ninth Legion last year.
Of the placegetters, In His Stride also ran to 102, beaten by the barest of margins with Federal in third running the highest rating of the race at 110 with the 58kg that measures up well to recent winners of the race.
The final feature race of the day was a quinella for Darren Beadman and Godolphin with Maternal narrowly beating Kinshachi in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic (1350m), Banda Spice two lengths away in third.
Settling up on the speed and doing enough to hold off her stablemate, Maternal ran up to her previous best rating of 97, also achieved when winning at Doomben three starts back.
It was the first black type win for the well bred four-year-old who now has six wins to her name from just 17 career starts.
Maternal is the lowest rated winner of the race since Lesmartre in 2007 (93) with 2016 winner Blueberry Hill running to a figure of 99.
Kinshachi with the 59kg was clearly the run of the race only narrowly beaten in second and ran to a figure of 106 which is the equal highest rating of the race with Paprika in 2006 since the inception of the race in 2003.
