Lipp buoyed by Railings' withdrawal
09 May, 2008
Trainer Rex Lipp's confidence in winning the Group Three Chairman's Handicap with Sir Sensible at Doomben on Saturday has soared following the stranding in Melbourne of Group One winner Railings.
Railings will run over 1800 metres at Caulfield on Saturday after his scheduled flight to Brisbane was aborted on Thursday due to mechanical problems.
Railings was originally due to leave Melbourne on Monday but the earlier flight was also cancelled due to mechanical problems.
Lipp had rated Railings one of the main dangers to Sir Sensible who has rediscovered his best form this campaign after breaking down with a tendon injury as a three-year-old just prior to the 2006 Queensland Derby.
"The Chairman's is not an overly strong race this year because of the clash with the Sydney autumn races," Lipp said.
"I thought Railings would be one of our biggest dangers if he found his best form but now that's he's not running it will make things a little easier for my horse."
Sir Sensible reproduced his best form to win over 2030 metres at Doomben on March 29 and proved that was no fluke with his Listed Toowoomba Cup victory over 2050 metres on April 10.
Jockey Tony Pattillo has been the five-year-old's regular rider but was a victim of circumstance when he finished an unlucky sixth last start to the Mick Mair-trained Rezone in the Listed Peter Gallagher Stakes (2136m) at Eagle Farm on April 26.
"If Tony can ride him the same way he did when he won at Doomben three starts ago then he'll be hard to beat," Lipp said.
"He did a great job to win on him in the Toowoomba Cup but he was a victim of circumstance when beaten last time.
"Instead of swinging out wide he went up on the inside looking for runs and ran into a dead end.
"Without Railings, the Chairman's looks a very open race."
Lipp has no major winter plans in mind for Sir Sensible who will have his next start in the Group Three Premier's Cup (2200m) at Doomben in a fortnight.
"We're not going to be too ambitious with him and will keep him to the Cups races at Caloundra and Ipswich," he said.
Railings will now leave Melbourne on Tuesday for the Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 9.
The six-year-old hasn't won since notching his biggest career victory in the Caulfield Cup in 2005 when trained by John Hawkes.
The son of Zabeel had a short stint with New Zealand trainer Roger James before he was transferred to the Mike Moroney stable.
Moroney discovered Railings had a minor heart strain when he entered his stable shortly after last year's Melbourne Cup.
Railing's condition was the same as that of former top Kiwi stayer Horlicks who was diagnosed with a heart strain as a young horse before she won the 1989 Japan Cup.
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