Esperanza set for big Queensland Racing Carnival campaign

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba trainer Rex Lipp has declared talented filly Esperanza is potentially the best two-year-old he has prepared and is hopeful she can prove him right in the Calaway Gal at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Lipp has made his way back from Corryong in Victoria to saddle Esperanza in the 1200 metre Listed feature.

Lipp is confident Esperanza can strike her best form in the Calaway Gal despite not having started since finishing second to the Liam Birchley-trained Swift Dragon in the QTIS Jewel Final at the Gold Coast on March 14.

“She ran a nice race in the QTIS Jewel, but things just didn’t go her way,” he said.

Esperanza - an Angela Jones mount - has started three times for a win and two seconds and is part-owned by Lipp.

The daughter of Spirit Of Boom tuned up for her first run in more than a month with a dominant win in an 800 metre barrier trial at Dalby on April 7.

“It was a very good trial and she ran slick time and the fastest of all the heats,” Lipp said.

“She had 10 days out in the paddock after the QTIS Jewel and I’m very pleased with the way she’s going.

“Star Shiraz won the Sires' Produce when it was a Group 1, so he has to be the best two-year-old I’ve trained so far.

“But, she’s up there with all of them and is potentially the best two-year-old I’ve trained.”

Lipp is hoping Esperanza can eventually progress to the Group 2 Sires' Produce at Eagle Farm at the end of May and possibly to the Group 1 J.J. Atkins at the same track in June.

“I’m expecting her to run well on Saturday and then she’ll run in the Bill Carter at Doomben before we make a decision about the Sires and J.J. Atkins,” he said.

“Her mother, Express Air, won the Queensland Guineas over a mile so I can’t see why she can’t do the same.

“But, I’ll wait and see how she goes in the Bill Carter before thinking about going any further.”