Lipp hopes stable star will Simply Fly on Cup day

By Glenn Davis

Co-trainer Rex Lipp is hopeful talented sprinter Simply Fly can earn a Magic Millions campaign when the stakes winner makes his comeback at Eagle Farm on Tuesday.

Simply Fly – a Tegan Harrison mount – returns in the Open Handicap over 1000 metres.

The five-year-old has not started since a dominant victory in the Listed Chief De Beers over 1110 metres at Doomben in July.

Lipp, who trains in partnership with Nicholas Hahn, is keen to find a path to the Magic Millions QTIS race at the Gold Coast in January.

“The original plan was to target a wild card into the Magic Millions but it’s no longer on the race we looked at,” Lipp said.

“The King Of The Mountain at Toowoomba has a wild card race but he’s only a 50-50 chance of starting in that.

“He’s won once over 1200 metres but he struggles to get the trip.

“He’ll have to prove this campaign he can run a strong 1200 metres as you need a 1300 metre horse to run 1200 at Toowoomba.”

Lipp believes Simply Fly will be competitive in his return and is hopeful his stamina has improved with age.

“I’ve given him a couple of jump outs and I’m very happy with the way he’s going,” the co-trainer said.

“He’s now a five-year-old so hopefully he can run further this time up.

“He’s never been mature enough in the past to run a strong 1200 metres but maybe with age he’ll get further.”

Simply Fly is by Spirit Of Boom and is out of Express Air, who won the Group 2 Queensland Guineas over 1600 metres on a heavy track at Eagle Farm in 2009.

He was bred at Cambooya stud by principal Scott McAlpine and part-owner Peter Maloney.

Simply Fly has been for connections, starting 24 times for seven wins and five placings, and has earned almost $723,000 in prize money.

Lipp believes Simply Fly faces formidable opposition in his return and has huge respect for the Mark Currie-trained Je Suis Belle.

While Simply Fly has drawn the outside barrier in 11, his Toowoomba rival drew gate nine.

Je Suis Belle also was a stakes winner at her last start when she claimed the Listed Ascot Handicap over 1200 metres at Eagle Farm in the middle of April.

The daughter of Bel Esprit has missed a place once in her 17 start career for weight wins and as many placings.