Trainer Lipp targets back-to-back QTIS Jewels

By Glenn Davis

Co-trainer Rex Lipp’s bid for back-to-back victories in next month’s $500,000 QTIS Jewel will become a little clearer after Baristasista makes her comeback at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Baristasista will have her first start since finishing fourth in the Listed Gold Edition at Eagle Farm in the middle of December when she steps out in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1000 metres.

Lipp won last year’s QTIS Jewel with Simply Fly and saddled up favourite Gem Of Scotland, who broke her pelvis in the 2020 feature.

Lipp trains in partnership with Nicholas Hahn and has given Baristasista a solid grounding for her return including a recent barrier trial at Toowoomba.

“She’s going well and ran well when, she finished second in a trial a few weeks ago,” Lipp said.

“She’s had a fair bit of work to prepare for the QTIS Jewel and she’ll have her next run in the Jewel Prelude.

“I’m expecting her to run well and she’s drawn the rails.”

Lipp will make a late decision whether Baristasista’s sibling Bad Barista tackles the One Metropolitan Win race over 2300 metres.

Lipp is disappointed with the weight scale with Bad Barista receiving only four kilos from recent open company winner Ef Troop.

Bad Barista has a wide barrier to overcome and is coming off a last start third to Montenegro Man in a 1200-metre Class 6 at Doomben on February 12.

“Her last run in a Class 6 was very good considering she’s a Class 3 mare,” Lipp said.

“I’m not too happy with the weights and I’ll decide later if she’ll run or not.

“If she doesn’t there’s a Class 6 coming up in two weeks if she doesn’t run.”

Both Bad Barista and Baristasista are out of the Lipp-trained Sparking Sound who was a six time winner.

Bad Barista is a daughter of the ill-fated sire Spill The Beans while Baristasista is by former Group 1 winner Spirit Of Boom.

Spirit Of Boom won twice at the highest level in the Doomben 10,000 and William Reid at Moonee Valley in 2014 while Spill The Beans was a Group 2 winning son of champion sire Snitzel, before he died suddenly in 2019.