By Glenn Davis
Trainer Rex Lipp has abandoned thoughts of a Sydney trip with talented filly Gem Of Scotland who seeks redemption for her last start defeat at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Win, lose or draw, Gem Of Scotland will head straight to the spelling paddock after she contests the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1400m).
Lipp is disappointed Gem Of Scotland was allotted 59kgs and has to give away weight to some of the in-form boys.
“She’s not mature enough to go to Sydney just yet,” Lipp said.
“Even if she wins, she’ll go straight to the paddock.
“She has to give Matt Dunn’s horse Xanthus 3.5kgs which is a lot of weight for a filly to give away.”
Lipp said plans for Gem Of Scotland were “up in the air” as he was very disappointed when she was beaten by Better Reflection at Doomben last start.
“I was going to spell her straight after her last run but you wouldn’t know she went around,” Lipp said.
Lipp has replaced last start rider, apprentice Baylee Nothdurft, with senior jockey Jim Orman.
“I’ll look at the program later for her but there’s not much coming up for her except a Listed race for three-year-olds over 1200 metres in December,” he said.
“She’s not eligible for the Magic Millions so she might be best off spelling over the hotter months and come back for the autumn in Sydney.”
Lipp speaks from experience when he talks about programming horses.
The veteran Toowoomba trainer has prepared many good horses over several decades and rates Gem Of Scotland up with the best he has trained.
Lipp has won two Group 1’s with Star Shiraz in the QTC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm in 2004 and Tinto in the Queensland Oaks (2400m) at the same track in 2014.
Racing Queensland webnews October 9