Co-trainer Lipp says Simply Fly needs to be ridden ugly

By Glenn Davis

Co-trainer Rex Lipp is hopeful quirky sprinter Simply Fly could be finally living up to his full potential when he chases back-to-back wins in the Open Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.

A rising star as a three-year-old when he claimed five successive races, Simply Fly has been his own worst enemy since.

The enigmatic galloper has won a further four races in two years as a four and five-year-old including his recent victory over 1000 metres at the Sunshine Coast on January 28.

Simply Fly was touted as Stradbroke Handicap material as a three-year-old before plans were derailed after he lost his rider Stephanie Thornton in the Listed Mick Dittman Plate at Doomben in April, 2021.

Simply Fly was spelled after subsequent runs in the Gold Coast Guineas and Fred Best Classic at Eagle Farm that year.

“He’s got a few tricks but he just needed a spell when the Stradbroke was coming up,” Lipp said.

“A lot of his tricks is just him and you’ve just got to accept it.

“He’s not a punter’s horse and he has to be ridden ugly.

“He’s never won a race unless he’s drawn badly as he doesn’t like getting cluttered up.”

Simply Fly, who has drawn barrier 12, won the three-year-old QTIS Jewel at the Gold Coast in March, 2021 and it was 69 weeks before he won again in the Listed Chief De Beers at Doomben last July.

Lipp, who trains in partnership with Nicholas Hahn, has resisted claiming on Simply Fly, who will carry top weight with 59.5kgs.

“It’s a lot of weight but he’s not a horse for an apprentice,” he said.

“I thought he could win last start at the Sunshine Coast.”

Lipp has booked leading jockey James Orman to partner Simply Fly.

The gelding is closing in on winning $1 million in prize money, which has all been claimed in Queensland.

A victory would see Simply Fly record his 10th triumph in 31 starts and take his prize money to $893,00. 

Simply Fly is a three-quarter brother to Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic and Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas winner, Prince Of Boom, and is the best of the progeny of his dam, Group 1 Queensland Guineas winner, Express Air.

The training partnership of Lipp and Hahn will have seven starters at Doomben and they rate Burnish Gold in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1200 metres as their next best chance.

Burnish Gold – a Ben Thompson mount – fought on tenaciously when second to the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Tsarina Sophia over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm last week.

“I thought he was a bit unlucky behind Gerald’s horse who they think can go on and win at Group level,” Lipp said.