Co-trainer Lipp hopeful of winning QTIS Jewel crowns

By Glenn Davis

Co-trainer Rex Lipp has been a major player in the QTIS Jewel features since their inceptions a few years ago and will have tickets in both races at Doomben on Saturday.

Lipp already has a three-year-old QTIS Jewel crown in his trophy cabinet courtesy of Simply Fly’s victory two years ago when the race was run at the Gold Coast.

Now held at Doomben because of track renovations at the Gold Coast, Lipp will saddle up Crimson Warning in the two-year-old QTIS Jewel and Burnish Gold in the three-year-old division.

Lipp was training by himself when Simply Fly was successful but now trains in partnership at Toowoomba with Nicholas Hahn.

Crimson Warning booked her place in the two-year-old QTIS Jewel with a dominant win over the Les Ross-trained Mishani Ambitious over 1300 metres at Eagle Farm on March 11.

“The Jewel was never in our minds originally with Crimson Warning but when she qualified by winning last run, we thought we had to have a go,” Lipp said.

“You’ve got to have a crack at these type of races as they don’t come along often and the prize money is too good.

“She’s a real trier but she’s coming back in distance from 1300 metres, so I haven’t had to do much with her.

“It’s a hard race but she’s not without some chance.”

Burnish Gold - Lipp’s other hope for a major pay day - also was a last start winner over 1110 metres at Doomben last month.

Lipp is more hopeful with Burnish Gold.

“It was a very strong win and she should be right in this,” Lipp said of her last start performance and looking towards Saturday.

Lipp saddled favourite Gem Of Scotland in the QTIS Jewel for three-year-olds in 2020 when the filly finished a distant last after fracturing her pelvis at the start.

He was out of luck in last year’s two-year-old QTIS Jewel, won by She’sgottheboom, with Burnish Gold finishing 10th while Toba tailed off last in the field of 13.

“We never had much luck in last year’s two-year-old race when Toba and Burnish Gold both pulled up sore,” Lipp said.