Lipp unleashes summer firepower

By Glenn Davis

Co-trainer Rex Lipp will unleash his Queensland Summer Racing Carnival firepower when star stablemates Simply Fly and Tycoon Evie clash in the Class 6 Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Both have not started since the winter, which saw Simply Fly bow out of a Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap mission following a sub-par run in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic at Eagle Farm in May.

Tycoon Evie was set on a Queensland Oaks path but Lipp aborted plans to start in the Group 1 feature following her lacklustre performance in the Group 2 The Roses at Doomben in May.

Simply Fly earned his shot at the bigger winter races after five consecutive wins last autumn and has an outstanding record of six wins from 12 starts.

Tycoon Evie has won four of her 12 starts but will no longer be tried over ground with Lipp rating 1600 metres as her optimum distance range.

“They’re both resuming and have won a barrier trial each but they’ve got a long campaign ahead so there’s plenty of improvement in both of them,” Lipp said.

“It’s not an easy field they’re up against and it’s only 1000 metres but both have won first-up in the past so it wouldn’t surprise me if either of them wins.

“But they’re a long way off being match fit.”

Lipp, who now trains in partnership with Nicholas Hahn, is targeting the Group 3 George Moore Stakes over 1200 metres at Doomben on December 4 while Tycoon Evie heads towards the fillies and mares races, including the Listed Just Now Quality over 1300 metres at Eagle Farm a week later.

“The George Moore will be the main aim for Simply Fly then The Gateway at Doomben the following week which is a ballot-free race into the Stradbroke,” Lipp said.

“He was being aimed at the Stradbroke this year but he was at the end of his campaign by the time he ran in the Fred Best.”

Lipp is resigned to keeping Tycoon Evie to the sprints after her defeat in The Roses when she was ridden by Glen Boss.

After racing just off the pace in The Roses, Tycoon Evie tired noticeably to finish in front of only three runners, more than 11 lengths behind the Chris Waller-trained Only Words.

“We tried Tycoon Evie as a stayer and it didn't work out,” Lipp said.

“She’s definitely a sprinter and her best distance is between 1400 and 1600 metres.”