Bruce looks for overdue win from Thesecondatportsea

By Glenn Davis

Former Victorian Thesecondatportsea has been great for trainer Jack Bruce who will make a late call whether the five-year-old heads to Ipswich on Wednesday.

A $30,0000 buy at an online sale, Thesecondatportsea has drawn perfectly in barrier one which could tip the scales in favour of her running in the Class 5 Handicap over 1700 metres.

“I’ve also got her nominated for the Gold Coast on Saturday and I’ll just wait awhile but it’s looks attractive to go to Ipswich now she’s drawn the rails,” Bruce said.

“She’s been a great buy as she’s won more than $160,000 since I bought her.”

The New Zealand-born Bruce has been a huge success since starting his training career in the 2021-22 season and ended a string of minor placings when Nightcapped was successful at the Sunshine Coast last Friday.

“My strike-rate for placings is through the roof and hopefully Thesecondatportsea can win again,” Bruce said.

Thesecondatportsea - a Damien Thornton mount- recorded back-to-back city wins at Doomben and Eagle Farm this time last year.

But, she hasn’t won since a narrow victory on a heavy track at the Sunshine Coast in April of last year.

However, her recent form has been sound with three placings from her past five starts including a last start second to the Michael Morrison-trained Smart Action in a 1600 metre Benchmark race at Doomben on February 1.

“She’s been racing well and has been very unlucky in a few of her recent runs,” Bruce said.

“She’s been up since July last year and has been very unlucky a lot of times.

“Her last run at Doomben was huge as she drew a bad gate and got back to last and had to circle the field when she ran second.

“Based on that run she’s got a very good chance again.”

Bruce started training with a small team at Deagon but quickly expanded and now has 60 horses in work at his two training centres at Deagon and the Sunshine Coast.

It comes as no surprise why Bruce has been such a success as he laid the foundations learning off previous employers.

Bruce came through the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program and served his “apprenticeship” working for some of the nation’s biggest stables.

He spent seven years with Bjorn Baker and Chris Waller in Sydney before a stint with the former training partnership of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

His biggest win was with Axe who gave him his only stakes victory in the Listed Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba in 2022.