Gem on ice for Jewel mission
RACING: Trainer Rex Lipp is planning on fresh legs prevailing for exciting Toowoomba filly Gem Of Scotland when she resumes racing on Saturday week.
Gem Of Scotland makes her highly anticipated return to the track in the $300,000 QTIS Jewel Three-Year-Old (1200m) at the Gold Coast.
It will be her first outing since she zoomed to victory in an Eagle Farm Three-YearOld Handicap (1400m) in October.
That victory took Gem Of Scotland’s record to six wins from nine outings.
The Rothesay three-yearold helped prepare for her 2020 return with a sharp Clifford Park barrier trial win over 925 metres two weeks’ ago.
Lipp has resisted the option of a Jewel lead-up run for Gem Of Scotland and is banking on her reproducing some of her impressive fresh form in the Gold Coast feature.
Gem Of Scotland resumed from a 16-week spell last preparation with a first-up Doomben
win over 1110 metres.
“Everything is fine with her,” Lipp said from Clifford Park yesterday.
“She’ll have a jumpout here this morning and go first-up into the Jewel on Saturday week.
“We did consider a start for her at Toowoomba last Wednesday
or Doomben on Saturday after her barrier trial win here.
“But she is doing well and we’re happy to go straight to the coast with her fresh.”
Jimmy Orman, who has partnered Gem Of Scotland in five of her six wins and travelled to Clifford Park to ride her in last month’s barrier trial win, will again be aboard in the Jewel.
Dalby Newmarket set to jump Saturday
DOWNS TAB racing this Saturday switches to Bunya Park as Dalby & Northern Downs Jockey Club prepares to host its biggest annual race day. Clifford Park racing makes way this week for Dalby Newmarket Race Day.
The seven-event program starting at 1.23pm - is headed by the $25,000 Paul & David Winter Newmarket Handicap over 1200 metres. Twenty-three entries have been received for the Newmarket out of a total of 118 nominations for the meeting. Newmarket top weight is the Troy Pascoe-trained and recent Eagle Farm winner Mishani El Lobo with 61.5kg. Other entries include Tisani Magic (58kg) for Toowoomba trainer Kevin Kemp and Matt Kropp representative Scrabble (57.5kg).
Saturday’s card also features the Wild River Concrete Lightning Handicap (800m) headed in weight by Rockhampton five-year-old Allround Glory (61.5kg).
Racing returns to Clifford Park on Saturday week.
WE DID CONSIDER A START FOR HER AT TOOWOOMBA LAST WEDNESDAY OR DOOMBEN ON SATURDAY AFTER HER BARRIER TRIAL WIN HERE. BUT SHE IS DOING WELL AND WE’RE HAPPY TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE COAST WITH HER FRESH.
REX LIPP