A beneficial weight allowance and a runner primed for victory have trainer Jack Bruce excited about Sir Maurice’s appearance at Ipswich this Friday.

In his fifth outing this preparation, the five-year-old gelding by Japanese star Maurice lines up in the Great Northern Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1200 metres for his debut visit to the track situated roughly an hour from Brisbane.

"I think it is a nice race for him," Deagon-based Bruce said of a horse that he described as capable in this company but not a superstar.

"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."

Sir Maurice, with three triumphs and eight minor placings from 23 appearances, frequently contends strongly but merits another success following his previous one in May 2025.

The gelding was runner-up most recently at Sunshine Coast in a benchmark 60 event across 1200 metres on February 22, with apprentice Leah Martyn sticking aboard thanks to her two-kilogram allowance dropping the impost to 56 kilograms.

"She’s riding well and she’s very dedicated," Bruce added.

"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."

Trainer Bruce also nominates Sacred Bull for the Racing and Sports Benchmark 58 Handicap over 2010 metres, though a call on whether the six-year-old contests at Ipswich daytime or Sunshine Coast night meeting will come Friday morning.

Explore the Australian betting sites for top racing betting markets on Sir Maurice in the Great Northern Benchmark 65 Handicap at Ipswich.